The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) is calling on the government to end ministerial control over the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and establish a civilian oversight mechanism in the wake of public outrage over the death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge.
In a statement on Thursday, the GHRA said, “Guyana urgently needs to operationalise accountability to these multiple audiences by the creation of a Civilian Oversight Board to replace monolithic Ministerial control.” The association added that such a system would allow the police force to be monitored by a range of entities, including parliament, the judiciary, the media, and independent complaints boards.
The push for oversight comes as the GPF faces mounting criticism over its handling of Younge’s case. The young girl’s body was discovered in the pool of Double Day Hotel in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, after repeated calls from her family for a thorough search of the premises.
While President Irfaan Ali has assured that all necessary resources are being provided to investigate the child’s death, the GHRA described his response as “weak and unconvincing.” Instead, the group is urging the government to address public concerns by appointing a Police Commissioner in line with the Constitution and restoring the force’s former name—Guyana Police Service—which it said was “quietly discarded in recent years.”
The call for greater transparency intensified as Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and Attorney-at-Law Darren Wade, who represents Younge’s family, demanded that the GPF release video footage allegedly showing the girl leaving the hotel on the day she disappeared.
“If they [the police] have that statement and they put it in a statement here, they should immediately release the footage. I don’t know why there is a delay in releasing this footage because this is very inconsistent with the entire story,” Jagdeo said at his weekly press conference. “How, after this young lady left, did her body return to the pool? Something is wrong, and we have to get to the bottom of this, and we’re not going to rest until that happens.”
Wade echoed the demand, stating, “I am instructed to make the following demand that the Guyana Police Force immediately release the video footage they claim to possess, allegedly showing the deceased leaving the hotel.”
The controversial case has sparked widespread anger, with Adrianna’s family and supporters expressing frustration over the police investigation. Following the discovery of her body, both the hotel and a nearby building owned by the hotelier were set on fire, and looters later ransacked the property.
In response to public backlash, the GPF admitted that parts of its initial statement on the incident were inaccurate, though it did not specify which details were incorrect. The force has since promised a “comprehensive investigation” into both the circumstances surrounding Adrianna’s death and the release of erroneous information.
“Following preliminary investigations, it has been determined that certain details contained in the initial statement circulated were inaccurate. As such, the Force is currently reviewing the internal communication processes that led to the release of that statement,” the GPF said, adding that appropriate actions will be taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
The Divisional Commander and all officers involved in preparing the initial report are expected to be interviewed as part of the internal probe.
Meanwhile, Wade said the family has rejected President Ali’s proposal for the Commissioner of Police to assemble a special team to investigate Adrianna’s death. Instead, they are calling for an international investigation and have requested that an international pathologist be involved in determining the cause of death.
A Barbados-based international pathologist was expected to arrive in Guyana to conduct an autopsy.
The GHRA, citing previous commissions of inquiry that recommended independent oversight, maintained that the current controversy underscores the urgent need for systemic reform of the police force.
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