Emotions ran high in the 102nd Sitting of the 12th Parliament today as Opposition Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira, introduced a motion calling for the establishment of a national child emergency notification system in Guyana, drawing parallels with the US Amber Alert system.
Figueira’s proposal, named the “Adrianna Alert System”, comes in response to the tragic death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge, whose body was discovered in a pool at the Double Day Hotel, East Bank Essequibo last week, sparking widespread outrage and calls for justice.
Figueira’s heartfelt speech aimed to honour the memory of the young girl while pushing for significant change. He moved that the system be modelled after the Amber Alert, which has been credited with saving thousands of children’s lives since its inception in 1996 in the United States. According to Figueira, the implementation of such a system would bolster child safety efforts, drawing on the power of modern communication networks and media outlets to disseminate alerts in real time.
“This grievous loss demands not only solemn remembrance but decisive actions and justice. Mr. Speaker, it is in her honour that this motion is being proposed for serious consideration, that Guyana adopts a national emergency response system, aptly named the Adrianna Alert System,” Figueira stated, his voice breaking with emotion.
“Mr. Speaker, with the greatest respect to the good men of the GPF, this motion does not seek to compete with the Guyana Police Force, but complement and improve efforts for greater effectiveness and reliability.”
In his call to action, Figueira emphasised the need for a national coordinated response to child abductions and missing children cases, urging that telecommunication providers and law enforcement receive the necessary training to ensure the system’s success. He also stressed that the system should be transparent, with annual reports on its activation and outcomes presented to the National Assembly.
The motion was a direct response to concerns over the Guyana Police Force’s handling of Adrianna’s case, which has drawn widespread criticism. Figueira argued that reliance solely on traditional investigative methods left too many gaps, fostering distrust in the police. He called for urgent reform and the implementation of a system that could empower the public to become active participants in child recovery efforts.
“It would honour the memory of Adrianna Younge to ensure no other child falls prey to such horrors,” he added.
Following the proposal, Prime Minister Mark Phillips addressed the House, reiterating the government’s commitment to investigating the circumstances surrounding Adrianna’s death.
“While together we mourn as a country, we have already taken action as a government to facilitate the independent inquiry,” Phillips said.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to reform the police’s handling of missing persons reports, including new procedures that would eliminate the previous 24-hour waiting period before responding to missing children cases.
However, tension flared when an Opposition Member of Parliament questioned the government’s readiness to discuss Figueira’s motion. Christopher Jones raised concerns about the process, demanding clarification on whether the motion had been officially accepted for debate.
“Has the motion been accepted for debate, and are we now into the debate?” Jones asked, prompting a heated exchange.
The Speaker of the House, who had allowed Figueira to extend his time for the motion’s presentation, responded by emphasising that it was important to allow full consideration of the motion and that the Prime Minister should be allowed to give his presentation before a decision is made.
However, this did not sit well with the opposition, and the situation escalated when they walked out of the session in protest.
The Speaker asked the Prime Minister to continue with his presentation. Prime Minister Phillips reiterated that the government had taken proactive steps, including an independent post-mortem and the ongoing implementation of new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for missing persons cases.
“This is a major change from before, where we had a mandatory 24-hour waiting period. Now, all missing persons reports must be acted upon without delay,” he said.
He also assured that the police force’s new approach would prioritise children, elderly individuals, and those with disabilities, ensuring that they received immediate attention.
In his presentation, Phillips also pointed to the government’s broader efforts to safeguard children, such as the “Every Child Safe” programme, the introduction of a child protection hotline, and partnerships with the Childcare Protection Agency and other critical stakeholders.
He mentioned the government’s focus on creating new children’s advocacy centres and health programmes as part of its comprehensive approach to child welfare.
As the House session concluded, the Speaker, in justifying his decision to have the PM complete his presentation said, “What I have done this morning, in allowing the motion to be moved and the government’s response, is not unique in this House; we have done this before.
The death of Adrianna Younge affects all of us, but we must focus on the core of this motion, which calls on the government to take certain actions. After reading the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) released by the GPF on Saturday, I believe the government has acted with urgency on this important issue of missing children and the need for alerts. I want to commend the government for swiftly enhancing these SOPs.”
However, he also noted that there are still other areas that need attention, such as public pool regulations, which must be further strengthened, explaining that safety measures need to be addressed—not just for children but for all patrons.
According to the Speaker, “the Government has acted, and is continuing to act. Given these actions, it would be difficult for me to allow the motion to be discussed in this sitting.”
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