ALP Leader Raises Alarm Over Rising Reports of Missing Children
By Jayda Jeune | HGP Nightly News
Leader of the Alliance for Local Progress (ALP), Simona Broomes, has sounded the alarm over what she described as a troubling rise in reports of missing children and missing persons across Guyana.
Broomes told reporters that the situation has worsened in recent months, yet there has been little to no effective action to protect vulnerable citizens. She emphasized that almost daily, new cases are reported, but the way they are officially categorized often downplays the seriousness of the problem.
“Whether it’s an 11-year-old child or a 13-year-old teenager, they are still children, and their cases must be treated with urgency and sensitivity,” Broomes stressed.
The ALP leader revealed that her committee has begun documenting cases independently, recording names, dates, and times in a spreadsheet, since official records and follow-ups often appear inconsistent. She criticized the government and law enforcement agencies for routinely categorizing children’s cases under the general “missing person” label, which she argued undermines the unique vulnerabilities of minors.
Broomes went further, saying that many of these children are not simply missing but victims of kidnapping, grooming, trafficking, and exploitation.
“They were lured into homes, raped, exploited, and trafficked. Yet, up to this day, I cannot say that any of the perpetrators from the cases I know of have faced serious prison time,” she declared.
Calling the matter a national crisis, Broomes urged citizens to get involved, stressing that the issue transcends politics and requires urgent collective action. She pledged that the ALP will continue to monitor the situation, press for accountability, and demand tangible measures to protect the nation’s children.
