Sexual Offenders’ Registry and Min Persaud (then Ali, Jagdeo)

By GHK Lall- I commend Hon Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindya Persaud. She came out before the public and faced the music on the decision to keep the Sexual Offenders’ Registry (SOR) closed. It pains me, but commendations for Minister Persaud came to a full stop right there.

What’s the point of having a SOR, then hiding it? Though secrecy has been normalized under the PPP Govt, this is one secret too many. The minister knows it. It inspires that both Excellencies Ali and Jagdeo experienced a moment of sanity and said: out with a secret SOR. More on these two brave, illustrious Guyanese later. What to think, though, of Minister Persaud’s decision to keep this furnace underground?

Minister Persaud got adventurous, somewhat daringly. International standards. Say what, hon minister? I am struggling to recall the last time that the PPP Govt, from president to peon, cared about such nuisances as international standards. Recall the EU recommendations from sic years ago. Ignored. Trashed. Who is the biggest litterer, minister, but the government that messes with what is right, and plays games with what’s violative of Guyanese rights, then drag those all over the place? For a development of more recent vintage, there’s the now dead as a doornail Stabroek News.

International standards about press freedom and the place of an independent press didn’t matter too highly, if at all, in the consideration of Offices of the President and Prime Minister. Both offices have been reduced to that deliriously funny British comedy about the antics in politics: Yes, Minister, which was promoted to Yes, Prime Minister. Sometimes, I wonder if the same fate has not descended upon the main officeholders in Guyana.

Minister Persaud was in glorious form. “Over 60 civil society bodies” had a say in the resulting framework. Thanks. Did 60 such entities along with some faith-based organizations really come out in favor of an undercover SOR? Really? Guyanese would like to know their identities. Publish them. So that they can be recognized for their peculiar reasoning. And if the Roman Catholic Church in Guyana was a part of that close book support, I would have something to say about that, which few are going to like. When the identity of sexual offenders must be such a secret, then the public is exposed, communities are exposed, families are exposed.

If the PPP Govt is comfortable hiding known sexual offenders in its Cabinet and Central Executive that is one awful, regrettable, moment of sorrow. Whichever minister, male or female, is happy to have them as a neighbor, that is their business. Just don’t ask that same standard from the public. Just don’t extend special political protection (and expediency) into the public domain and endanger John and Mary Public.

From Minister Persaud’s own ministry came the shocking: 584 females under 16 years were impregnated. Since there were 584 of such female victims, there should be 584 Guyanese charged for statutory rape. Where are they? Why are they not charged and named in the media? Who is being protected and why? Who is involved, and is that part of why this sexual offenders’ registry has to be such a closely guarded secret?

To know is to be equipped. To be equipped is to be forewarned. To be forewarned is to be put in the best position to lookout for family and community. I fail to comprehend how Minister Persaud could find fault with that reasoning. The president may entertain such ideas, but then again, his exposure in the walks of life has been of a less demanding nature. Think of schooling as one such walk. I move on. Now that both president and vice president has walked back a secret SRO. Coming up later, the strange development of Drs. Ali, Jagdeo, listening to the people, actually hearing their fears, responding immediately.