Dear Editor,
I WRITE to express serious concern over recent public statements by Azruddin Mohamed, which seek to discredit the Day and Night Care and Early Childhood Development Centre in Region Three, and, by extension, to undermine the work of the Ministry of Human Services.
Mr. Mohamed’s video characterising the Centre as a “white elephant” and a political gimmick that serves no women or children is not only misleading but demonstrably false.
The Day and Night Care and Early Childhood Development Centre represents a pioneering model in our social services landscape.
This facility will provide employment, childcare services to remove barriers to work, as well as providing physical safety and security for children. The facility will accommodate children up to the age of 12, and provide access to early screening programmes for various medical conditions, as Guyana moves towards universal childcare.
Contrary to the narrative being promoted, the Centre is in an active implementation phase. As of January, staffing is currently underway with 19 children already enrolled. With a capacity of 50, the centre is slated to become fully operational within the first quarter of this year.
This release date was already communicated to the public by Chief Executive Director of Early Childhood Development Ms. Concheeta Gray, on December 18, 2025.
Even more troubling is Mr. Mohamed’s apparent willingness to record and publish images of children associated with the facility on social media. The disclosure of identifiable information about minors accessing social services is not only irresponsible but dangerous.
The safety, privacy, and dignity of children must never be compromised for cheap political points or Facebook likes.
This is not an isolated incident: Mr. Mohamed has done this: He previously published images of an abuse victim Online to show that he delivered a hamper to them. Such conduct raises serious questions about judgment and sensitivity when dealing with vulnerable individuals.
Genuine humanitarian work must use confidentiality and sensitivity as guiding tools in every single situation. Loudness, after all, never equates to substance.
I, therefore, urge all public figures to refrain from using women and children as political props or image laundering. I commend the work of the Human Services Ministry and urge them to pay no attention to misinformation and opportunistic commentary as they continue to uplift and empower women, children, and families across Guyana.