Neesa Gopaul issue … PNCR members not satisfied with results of probe

Oct 30, 2010 News

… says sacked members are just scapegoats

A day after the Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand, unveiled a host of changes at the Childcare and Protection Agency in light of the Neesa Lalita Gopaul and the sacking of two officials, this seem not to be enough.
The Ministry was the scene of yet another protest, yesterday.

Dead: Neesa Lalita Gopaul

Several members of the People’s National Congress Reform yesterday took to the streets outside the Ministry where they bore several placards along with a suitcase with the head of a doll sticking out reminiscent of the manner in which Neesa’s body was found.
Troy Garraway said that the course of action is but one in a series of protest activities against the social injustices being perpetrated against Guyanese with the seeming inability by the ministry to grapple with the effects.
He said that yesterday’s activity was particularly aimed at the investigation and subsequent reports issued as it relates to the handling by the Ministry as it relates to the Neesa Gopaul case.
Garraway said that for every crime that is perpetrated against children in Guyana, “we blame the Human Services Ministry.”
Speaking directly to the report issued by Manickchand and whether they were in anyway satisfied he said, “We thought that the persons who were sacked are being used as scapegoats…The Ministry failed…The entire system failed which means that the Minister failed and should have stepped aside to facilitate the investigation.”
When told that the investigation was done independently Garraway said, “Can you have an independent investigation when the Minister is still on the job…how can you have an independent investigation when the Minister still micro-manage the case workers…can you have an independent investigation when before the findings come out the president is pronouncing on it.”
He said that they believe that it was never an independent investigation rather it was a process to use persons in the Ministry as scapegoats to cover up what was being done.
Garraway insisted that they believed that the Minister was micro-managing the social workers by not allowing them to function in the best interest of Guyanese.

A section of the protestors bearing placards

Speaking to the group that staged the picket exercise he said that at present it is just a group of PNCR members but they are hoping that the party and its Executive adopt their course of action and join in and support.
Manickchand, during a press briefing on Thursday, said that given the less than desired working conditions for the case officers there will be the immediate preparation of a building to house the Child Care and Protection Agency.
This process began prior to Neesa Gopaul’s murder and assurances have been given by the contractor that the building would be finished by the end of November, Manickchand revealed.
The Minister also said that there would be the immediate development and implementation of a Management Information System (MIS), specially designed for the CCPA.
She said that this process has already begun and some equipment has been acquired
There will be the immediate communication to teachers, head teachers and police officers, through the Ministries of Home Affairs and Education – their roles and responsibilities created under the new piece of legislation as it relates to child abuse.
There will also be the increase in the complement of childcare and protection officers at the Agency.