We, the undersigned- concerned citizens of Guyana and sister nations of the Caribbean- hereby call on President of Guyana, Mr. David Granger, to immediately dismiss current Minister of Social Protection, Ms. Volda Lawrence due to her numerous failures in the execution of the mandate of her appointed office and her clear unsuitability for that position. In Ms. Lawrence’s tenure thus far, she has openly supported an accused child molester, prioritized partisan political interests over child rights, demonstrated ignorance of basic risk factors for numerous societal problems plaguing Guyana, failed to implement key policies and enact meaningful institutional change, and shown a profound disregard for the lives and wellbeing of the most vulnerable members of Guyanese society- the exact persons the Ministry of Social Protection should be serving.

Minister Lawrence’s open support for accused child molester Winston Harding, her statement that this was “a family matter” and her continued support for this individual based on their mutual political affiliation showed a clear failure of comprehension on her part of the etiology of child abuse/molestation, disrespected and ignored the profound suffering endured by these children, and seriously undermined civil society efforts to address the multiple failures within the Guyanese justice system that makes it difficult for survivors to obtain justice.

Minister Lawrence’s communication regarding the regulation of alcohol sales and consumption reveals another alarming lack of awareness of the public health data documenting a clear link between alcohol abuse and societal problems such as domestic and interpersonal violence, suicide and depression, and traffic crashes. Her suggestion that more research be conducted (by some other entity other that her Ministry) again shows deep callousness towards those who have had their lives and wellbeing destroyed by alcohol abuse and her passing-the-buck mentality. It reveals an abysmal level of ignorance that is dangerous to the Guyanese public, as well as a grave barrier to the realization of a healthy society.  

In the recent case of the deaths of two young children by fire at the State-run Drop In Center, Ms. Lawrence’s focus on the amount of money spent on refurbishing the building instead of the lives lost is beyond callous. In addition, her sanctioning of the release of information that should have remained confidential about the circumstances of the family from which the children had been removed is an obvious attempt to divert attention from her Ministry’s shortcomings and negligence in terms of ensuring adequately trained staff and a safe, nurturing environment for the vulnerable children of Guyana.  

In instance after instance, Ms. Lawrence has shirked her duty to the people of Guyana, revealed her fundamental lack of understanding of the Ministry’s subject areas, and attempted to shift responsibility for her failures onto other entities. Her unsuitability to lead the Ministry of Social Protection is clear. President Granger- we call on you to remove Ms. Lawrence immediately. There is too much urgent work to be done; we cannot afford to waste precious time and tax dollars on persons who are unsuitable and uncaring about our wellbeing. We want better leadership and real, tangible, sustainable changes in our lives. We- the people of Guyana- deserve and demand better.