The attempts by two teenage girls to leave their homes and travel into the interior were foiled by quick action by members of the Guyana Women’s Miners Organisation (GWMO), the Guyana Police Force and a welfare officer in Bartica.
After they were apprehended early Friday morning, the girls, aged 15 and 16, were detained at the Bartica Police Station, before being handed over to their parents.
The previous morning, the girls had packed bags and left their family homes with the intention of travelling to Mahaica to take up waitressing jobs before travelling to a backdam in Region 7. But a vigilant neighbour thwarted their plans.
According to President of the GWMO Simona Broomes, she was called early Thursday morning by someone who informed her that the two girls were seen leaving their homes with packed bags, after their parents had left. “I immediately contacted one of my members in Bartica and alerted her about this and, following her investigation, she learnt that the girls had left the bags at a friend who worked at a Chinese restaurant,” Broomes told Sunday Stabroek.
She explained that both girls, who are not siblings, attend school in Bartica and had left their homes early Thursday morning dressed for school but were observed returning to one of the homes when the adults left. Broomes said after her member located where the girls left their bags, she alerted the police and the welfare officer in Bartica, who visited the restaurant and waited for the girls to uplift the bags.
However, they did not return for the bags and the welfare officer eventually left. Broomes said she did not give up and she asked the member to check a cellular phone that was in the bag and see the last few numbers the girls called. One number, in particular, was dialled often and Broomes said she called the number and learnt that it belonged to the owner of a Mahaica restaurant, who said he had placed an advertisement in the newspaper seeking waitresses. The man further informed her that he had spoken to two females, who gave their ages as 19 and 20 and said that they were seeking a job from Bartica. He added that he agreed to provide accommodation for them once they travelled to the location. He also indicated that the girls were expected at his address on Friday morning.
According to Broomes, she explained that the girls were underage and were leaving their homes unknown to their parents and he appeared willing to ensure that they were returned to their parents if they travelled to his premises.
It is not known where the girls spent Thursday night but on Friday morning Broomes travelled to Mahaica and located the restaurant owner to await the girls’ arrival. But shortly after, they contacted the man and told him that they had missed the boat and had cancelled the trip. “It appears as if their friend told them we were on to them so they decided not to make the trip,” Broomes noted.
Afraid that the girls may have gone into hiding and might eventually end up in the interior, Broomes had a man contact them and claim that he was looking for girls to work in the backdam and that he was willing to pay their fare. The girls, who eagerly agreed, were told to pick up the money at the Bartica stelling at a certain time.
Eventually, when one of them approached to collect the money, she was apprehended. The second teenager, upon seeing what happened, sped away in a taxi. However, the taxi driver was known and his information was handed over to the police, who later apprehended the man and he led them to the girl.
“They were very upset that they were arrested and they behaved badly and cursed out the police, the welfare officer and their parents,” Broomes said, adding that the police were forced to detain them overnight. It was later decided that with counselling the girls would be returned to their parents even though they appeared reluctant.
“I am happy that we did it and I hope these girls have learnt their lesson because the bush has nothing for them nor going and work at a restaurant in a far off place. They are setting themselves up to be abused and exploited,” Broomes said.
She pledged that her organisation will always act whenever reports are received, while adding that members are present at all the gateways to the interior and they are on the lookout for any suspicious cases.
“Some of them just want to go into the bush to make money but I want to say to them that you hear about the money…but that other part you don’t hear about is the reality of what really happens and I am scared for them [young girls],” Broomes said.
She added that young women do not understand the harsh reality of the mining sector and the conditions under which they would be forced to live. She pointed out that it is not only that they would be exploited but they should realise that they would be cut off from all modern facilities and if they fall sick it might be too late before they get medical attention.
Meanwhile, Broomes called for more recreational and learning facilities for young people in communities such as Bartica, Itaballi, Linden and other communities in the interior. She noted that many times young people have no way of meaningfully occupying their time and after secondary school, from which many drop out, the only option available to them is the draw of the interior. “But we need to help these young people to become positive and productive adults and we all have to play our parts,” she stated.
Since its formation earlier this year, the GWMO has been fighting for the rights of women miners and also looking at the exploitation of women in the sector and zeroing on human trafficking, especially cases of young girls.
