Georgetown : The Political Parties contesting General and Regional Elections 2011 articulated their commitment to children of the country, at a forum held at the Umana Yana hosted by the Rights of the Child Commission in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF), under the theme; “Guyana’s Commitment: Making Children Visible”.
Representing the political parties were; Presidential Candidate of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, spokesperson for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Cheryl Sampson, Prime Ministerial Candidate for the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic(PPP/C), Samuel Hinds and Executive Member of The United Force (T.U.F.), Roy Vantall.
Hinds noted that during the years of the PPP/C, several pieces of legislation were tabled, laws enacted which dealt specifically with ensuring that the rights of children are observed and penalties be imposed on those who thought it necessary to impede such rights. Some of those laws enacted are; the Adoption of Children Act; the Protection of Children; Sexual Offences Act, Evidence Amendment Act, which now sees children being accepted in the court as witnesses; and the Status of Children.
Ramjattan, Sampson and Vantall, all expressed a collective sentiment that more has to be done for children. Towards this end, they pledged their party’s commitment to continue the improvement of the lives of children and ensuring that their rights are protected. The end of the presentations saw the said representatives signing a Call to Action.
This document commits the presidential candidates whether they are in government or not, to promote, protect and further the rights of children, as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which was ratified by Guyana in 1991 and later entered into its Constitution.
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