President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday allocated $14M to the social services ministry to provide for 38 children in its care and he invited proposals to erect a facility to house delinquent youth while they are being processed in court.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release the said sum will be made available immediately to the ministry and it will be used to expand several sections of the facility including its dining area. Jagdeo also said he would make computers available to the children to occupy their time. Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand said the Child Protection exercise began in March and since then several of them have been integrated back into their families while others have been enrolled in school.
As regards juveniles who have committed crimes, the president inspected several areas within the compound of the Sophia Skills Training Centre and requested a proposal to erect a ‘holding facility’ for juveniles being processed through the Court system.
This facility would ensure that they are not entered into the prison system, GINA said, and would provide an alternative to the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) facility at Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast which is overcrowded.
The president said the proposal must be submitted before the 2008 Budget is announced so that it could be included.
The social services, youth and home affairs ministries are collaborating on the project. The ministers from these entities accompanied Jagdeo on the inspection exercise.
