–at opening of counselling centre in Essequibo
“THE PPP/C Government is of the strong belief that people must remain at the forefront of the political, social and economic processes of the country,” said Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney-General Anil Nandlall recently.
Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, General Secretary of the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) Indra Chandarpal, and representatives of Region 2 at the opening of the Counselling Centre
“And that is why one-third of all the annual budgets, since 1993 to present, goes towards the social sector,” he told attendees at the opening of a counselling centre at Maria’s Lodge, on the Essequibo Coast, Region 2, adding:
“Everything must be designed to achieve the ultimate objective of improving the lives and livelihood of the people of Guyana, or else we are failing abysmally… People are the raison d’etre of development; our vision is people-driven.”
The Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) officially opened the centre, with the hope that by offering a safe, confidential environment, some of the everyday social issues that plague citizens at the family and individual levels can be addressed.
“The legal sector, for example, received $2B in this year’s budget, while education received $28B. Why? Because we believe that placing emphasis on the education of our young people is our priority and it is the impetus that will drive our country’s developmental trajectory,” Minister Nandlall said.
He further reminded his audience that social problems require social solutions, and as such, while many laws have been passed, they are not the solution, but merely part of the solution. As he explained, the laws at reference might see persons convicted and sent to prison, but the problem will continue to exist unless there are social solutions such as this counselling centre.
The building that now houses Essequibo’s first counselling centre at Maria’s Lodge
“This institution is intended to provide a social solution; it is filling a void that exists within our country,” the AG said.
General Secretary of the WPO, Indra Chandarpal, who is one of the driving forces behind the project, said that as far back as 1992, when the PPP/C took office, the prevalence of social ills (especially in rural communities) and the need to tackle them frontally were recognised.
It is against this background that the Administration passed several pieces of legislation to ensure the protection of women and children. These include the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and the Domestic Violence Act.
Over the years, the government, particularly through its social services ministry and NGOs, focused tremendously on raising awareness on these issues and has even expanded legal aid services to particularly cater to the needs of women.
Chandarpal said that the WPO, which is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary, has been working continuously over the years, often behind the scenes and without any media fanfare, to bring about substantial changes in communities.
“This is not a PR exercise; this is about helping people… We would like the centre to be open every day and serve the purpose for which it was created,” she said.
The WPO plans to establish similar facilities in other regions. It will be manned by trained individuals and even offer pre-marital counselling.
(GINA)