By Mark DaCosta- Opposition Member of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir has raised critical concerns regarding the safety and welfare of our young girls by tabling over thirty pointed questions to several government ministers. Her focus is on the disturbing trends surrounding adolescent pregnancy, abuse, and the overall effectiveness of child protection measures that have been in place from 2020 to 2025.
Walton-Desir’s intervention follows a series of shocking events that highlight the existing failures in our child protection framework. Reports of a young mother, just 15 years old, being stabbed by her child’s father after repeated signs of abuse came to light. Tragically, another 14-year-old girl passed away a month after giving birth, her death attributed to severe anemia. Perhaps most alarming of all, a 15-year-old girl escaped from state custody while under the care of the Child Care and Protection Agency. These alarming incidents cannot be dismissed as isolated events; they signal a deeply flawed system that evidently fails to identify risks and protect those in need, the parliamentarian has repeatedly said.
In her statement, dated April 10, 2026, Walton-Desir asserted that these distressing cases reflect a broader systemic issue that invites scrutiny. She is keen to ascertain whether there are adequate measures in place to spot potential dangers, intervene early, and provide support for these vulnerable girls.
Her questions extend to critical issues such as the number of girls under 16 who have become pregnant, the handling of abuse reports, the speed of government responses, and the outcomes of such cases. Moreover, she is challenging whether there are operational protocols guiding the police in assessing risks related to minors, if adolescent mothers receive adequate mental health care post-delivery, and whether the education system successfully reintegrates these individuals after they have experienced such trauma.
The MP argues that the responsibility of safeguarding our children cannot lie within a single department, as the intersecting nature of health, education, and law enforcement plays a crucial role in a child’s life. The lack of coordination between these sectors leaves children defenseless against abuse and neglect. Walton-Desir is determined to establish whether a coherent framework exists in practice and if the government is genuinely committed to protecting its most vulnerable citizens.
Her questions are not merely a technical inquiry; they are a call for accountability amidst rising tragedies. The outcomes of these inquiries could pave the way for significant reforms aimed at bolstering the protection mechanisms presently lacking in our nation. “It’s a matter of urgency,” asserts Walton-Desir, “and we must act before the next horrifying headline emerges.”
Amanza Walton-Desir is a prominent figure in Guyanese politics and leader of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), a party she founded after resigning from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR). Her legal background, including an LLM in maritime and aviation law, equips her with the expertise to navigate complex legislative issues. With a strong advocacy for social justice, especially concerning youth and women, she has swiftly emerged as a potent voice for those who are often left unheard.
Her recent initiative focuses directly on a government that has repeatedly shown negligence when it comes to the safety and rights of our children, particularly in the face of such critical incidents. As she seeks to extract answers from the relevant ministries, it becomes evident that the systemic failures in child protection are symptoms of a much deeper issue — one that electioneering and political maneuvering cannot mask.
