His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali urged Guyanese to reflect on the life of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge with love, unity, and humanity during a press briefing this evening at State House.
“Adrianna’s life has demonstrated to us what unity is, what coming together is, what loving is,” President Ali said. He also called on citizens to celebrate her life in a way that embodies care, empathy, and a commitment to building a peaceful society.
The President acknowledged the need for a thorough examination of the events surrounding Adrianna’s death, which occurred last week. Today, the post-mortem examination revealed that the pre-teen had died from drowning. Present at the examination were top international forensic experts: Dr Glenn A. Rudner from Mount Sinai Hospital, New York; Dr Gary L. Collins, Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Delaware (appointed by Adrianna’s family); and Dr Shubhakar Karra Paul, the Government-appointed international pathologist from Barbados.
The examination also indicated that there were no signs of sexual assault or broken bones.
During this evening’s press briefing, the President announced plans to bring in regional and international experts to reevaluate and upgrade the country’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This includes improving security arrangements, installing surveillance cameras, and enhancing safety measures in public spaces like swimming pools.
He said that the country’s laws and systems must be brought up to date with modern standards to ensure the safety of all who use public facilities.
In addition, the President pledged to open public consultations to gather ideas on strengthening national systems, noting that he would continue to “look at every single recommendation”.
“This is not the time for division or prejudice,” he said. “Let this lesson of coming together shape our future…We must act now to make our systems more robust and reflective of the values we hold dear.”
