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Jun 25, 2017 News
One week after visiting the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) at Onderneeming in the Pomeroon/Supenaam Region (Two), President David Granger was asked about his plans for the juvenile detention centre.
The President was quizzed whilst participating in the Ministry of the Presidency’s television programme, The Public Interest.
The Head of State said that he was “quite distressed” at what he found, and promised that the situation at the facility is going to be changed.
He noted that over 80 percent of the girls confined at the NOC, were there for wandering.
The Head of State has vowed that in the near future, he would like to reunite most of these girls with their families.
“These are not criminals. And I would like to feel that in the very near future, I could reunite most of them with their families,” he said.
The President spoke of one instance where a young mother was crying profusely every time she thought about her child.
“Having looked at it again, it is not the type of institution to which we should confine young girls. We need to look again at the so called offence of wandering because most of the girls there are for wandering.”
The President said that from his visit, he has learnt that two things ought to be done to address the issue.
“These are not violent criminals so those are two lessons that I’ve brought away: one, I am going to reunite some of them with their families and two; I’m going to look at the law so that persons who are caught wandering, we look at the circumstances which drove those girls on the street.
“There may be a problem at home; they may have fallen under the influence of some adult male but that is what filled me with dismay. And most of the interaction took place in the absence of the staff. The staff was asked to leave the room so it was a free interaction. Some sang songs and they spoke from their heart but these are young people who I would like to see getting back into school; getting jobs and establishing their own households.” President Granger said.
Last Sunday, President David Granger indicated that he has commenced a process to look at the early release of girls and boys housed at the NOC.
He had stated that as part of an overall plan to ensure improvements to the physical conditions and the programmes offered at the NOC, Government will in the short term be setting up criteria and a system to ensure that regular early release is an option for those who qualify.
In addition, the President also stated that Government, as it enters deliberations for the development of the 2018 National Budget, will be looking to make interventions at the institution, which will ensure that the young people housed there will be rehabilitated and equipped with skills that will facilitate a smooth re-integration into society.
The NOC is a detention facility for delinquents. It is governed by the Training Schools Act, which provides for the establishment of schools for the education, rehabilitation and vocational training for young offenders under the age of 18.
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