HGP Nightly News – The disclosure that 584 girls under the age of 16 were referred to the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) after becoming pregnant between 2020 and 2025 has prompted fresh questions from Forward Guyana Movement Leader and Member of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir, who wants to know how many of those cases ultimately resulted in police investigations, prosecutions, or court proceedings.
Speaking on the issue with Nightly News exclusively, Walton-Desir said the figures raise concerns about whether the child protection and criminal justice systems are working in tandem to address offences involving minors.
“Pregnancy involving a child under 16 raises obvious questions about sexual offences and statutory rape,” she noted, adding that while not every case may result in criminal charges, the public deserves a clearer understanding of how such matters progress through the justice system.
The MP argued that Parliament should be able to determine whether there is a connection between the number of reported pregnancies, referrals to protective services, police investigations and matters that eventually reach the courts.
“Parliament and the public are entitled to understand the relationship between the number of reported pregnancies, the number of referrals to protective services, the number of police investigations, and the number of matters ultimately reaching the courts,” Walton-Desir said.
According to her, examining those figures is essential to determining whether existing systems are functioning effectively from start to finish.
The questions arise in the wake of responses provided by Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud in the National Assembly. The Minister disclosed that 584 underage pregnancy cases were referred to the CPA over the five-year period but indicated that the agency does not maintain separate data showing how many of those girls subsequently gave birth.
Walton-Desir also suggested that the issue may not necessarily be a lack of legislation, pointing out that Guyana already has child protection laws, reporting requirements, and agencies tasked with safeguarding vulnerable children.
“What concerns me more is whether the systems that already exist are functioning effectively and whether they are being properly measured and evaluated,” she stated.
The opposition parliamentarian called for closer scrutiny of how cases are handled, including whether referrals are made consistently, investigations are completed promptly, and interventions are producing meaningful results for affected children.
She also renewed calls for a comprehensive review of the country’s child protection framework, including data collection, case management, inter-agency coordination, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
Referencing recent comments by the head of the Childcare and Protection Agency that “we are failing our children,” Walton-Desir said lawmakers have a responsibility to identify where weaknesses exist and whether current interventions are delivering the intended outcomes for vulnerable girls.
