By MP Annette Ferguson- Annually, the National Assembly approves finances for the Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Ariya Ali. However, it is difficult to say how these funds are expended, what programmes are in place and who are the actual beneficiaries. This is quite unlike the accountability by Guyana’s former First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, whose projects with youth and women, especially in the areas of entrepreneurship and technology, were regularly reported in the media.
Former First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger was also very vocal about social problems, including the high rate of teenage pregnancies, and advocated for young teen mothers to be reintegrated into the formal school system. Today, many who benefitted from her initiatives are now sharing their experiences with their peers. Mrs. Granger also spoke out against the rape of our young girls in the city and hinterland communities. Unfortunately, while many young girls and women continue to suffer at the hands of their partners, family members and leaders in society, it is quite disheartening and disturbing that the current First Lady, Ms. Ali has failed to speak out on these social issues.
We have had the deaths of the mothers of the Henry boys, the Mahdia dormitory inferno, which took the lives of 20 innocent students, youth perpetrators and youth victims of crime. What is the First Lady’s response to these issues? I would be grateful if the First Lady were to share publicly how the budgeted allocation has been spent and which regions and population segments have benefitted. If there is any collaboration with the Office of the First Lady, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, to address these issues. I urge the Office of the First Lady to make public the nature of such collaboration.