Proactive measures being undertaken to enhance children’s protection – PM Phillips

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding children by implementing proactive measures to ensure their safety and well-being.

During Monday’s sitting of the National Assembly, Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Jermaine Figueira moved a motion to establish a National Child Emergency Notification System.

The motion followed the tragic death of Adrianna Younge, an 11-year-old girl whose lifeless body was pulled from a swimming pool at Double Day Hotel in Region Three last Wednesday.

Figueira’s motion proposed a national rapid alert system similar to the AMBER Alerts used in the United States, Canada, and the European Union, aimed at facilitating the swift recovery of missing children and strengthening child protection mechanisms.

Responding to the motion, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips said the government remained transparent, noting that an independent autopsy was swiftly conducted into the circumstances surrounding Younge’s death.

The Ministry of Education has also launched a specialised School Support Services Team, led by former Head of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CPA) head, Anne Greene, to provide trauma and grief counselling at schools where Younge attended.

The prime minister outlined several actions already taken to bolster child safety. He highlighted the revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on April 26, 2025 for handling missing persons reports.

Under the new SOPs, all missing persons reports must be acted upon immediately, eliminating the previous mandatory 24-hour waiting period. A ‘Red Alert’ system will be triggered instantly in cases involving missing children to ensure a coordinated national response.

The updated protocols also aim to enhance collaboration among the police, CPA, health institutions, immigration services and shelters, to foster a comprehensive approach to child safety.

Divisional commanders are now mandated to provide daily updates on active investigations.

The prime minister revealed: “This new SOP will be gazetted on the 29th of April.”

He also outlined ongoing initiatives to promote child welfare, including the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s ‘Every Child Safe’ programme, the establishment of Child Advocacy Centres across regions, the expansion of foster care services, and the enactment of the Family Violence Act.

The government continues to invest in public education campaigns, community outreach, and training for frontline responders to better support children in vulnerable circumstances.

PM Phillips said that “These are all initiatives that are geared towards protecting our children. I take this opportunity to remind the house that our government has been making policies and implementing programmes throughout the length and breadth of Guyana to safeguard our children.”

Following the two presentations, Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir noted that Younge’s death had touched everyone. He commended the government for its swift response and ruled that a full debate on the motion was unnecessary.