We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) parliamentarian Natasha Singh has questioned the effectiveness of the government’s child-protection system, demanding that the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security account for its spending and explain what interventions have been provided to children affected by nearly 17,000 reported abuse cases over four years.
Singh’s criticism comes amid public outrage over the death of six-year-old Orlando Jaikarran of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, whose body was recovered from a canal earlier this week, prompting renewed scrutiny of the systems responsible for identifying vulnerable children and protecting them from abuse.
.In a social media post, Singh criticised what she described as “selective public outrage” over child abuse and murder, arguing that the government’s response must go beyond condemnation after a child has died and address the underlying failures that leave children vulnerable.
She cited figures showing 16,970 reported child-abuse cases between 2023 and 2026, alongside annual allocations to the Human Services and Social Security Ministry.
According to the figures Singh provided, the ministry received the following allocations:
- 2023: G$1.131 billion, with 4,840 reported cases.
- 2024: G$1.314 billion, with 4,145 reported cases.
- 2025: G$1.214 billion, with 4,032 reported cases.
- 2026: G$1.547 billion, with 3,953 reported cases.
The allocations total approximately G$5.206 billion over the four years. Singh is demanding an account of how the resources were used to protect children, support affected families and prevent further abuse.
“The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security must tell us what they have done to help all these children,” Singh said.
The figures she cited require reconciliation with previously published ministry statistics. In February 2025, Human Services Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud reported that 4,038 child-abuse cases had been recorded in 2024, while the Department of Public Information reported that neglect was the leading form of abuse. The ministry has also acknowledged a shortage of qualified Child Care and Protection Agency personnel, with 48 officers serving across the regions at the time of the report.
Orlando’s death raises questions about child protection
Singh also addressed Orlando’s death, saying the tragedy must force the country to examine how domestic violence, family breakdown and inadequate support for vulnerable households can leave children exposed to danger.
The child’s partially decomposed body was recovered from the Waterloo Main Canal on October 20, five days after he was reported missing. His father, 45-year-old Bharrat Jaikarran, was charged with murder on October 23 and remanded to prison. Police have also been investigating the possible involvement of another man, identified in reports as a local religious leader.
The post-mortem examination was inconclusive because of the condition of the body. Investigators have continued gathering evidence, including items seized during searches. The allegations surrounding the death remain subject to the judicial process.
Singh argued that the circumstances surrounding Orlando’s death should also prompt a reconsideration of how society treats women who leave abusive relationships. She cautioned against blaming mothers for leaving dangerous homes while failing to address the abuse that may have driven them away.
“A mother who walks away from an abusive marriage should not be condemned for choosing safety.”
She added that children’s welfare requires support for victims of domestic violence, intervention with families experiencing abuse and accountability for every adult entrusted with a child’s care.
Singh said the principle that “it takes a village to raise a child” must be reflected in practical action by families, communities and state agencies, rather than invoked only after tragedy strikes.
Her comments place renewed attention on the government’s responsibility to demonstrate how public spending translates into effective protection, timely intervention and support for vulnerable children.
As Region Five mourns Orlando, Singh is calling for a stronger welfare system and greater accountability from the ministry, arguing that preventing child abuse requires sustained action before cases end in tragedy.
