These measures are part of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Juvenile Justice Reform Project Phase II (JJRP II). To this end, Minister with responsibility for Youth, Hon. Frederick Stephenson, Director General of the OECS Commission, Dr. Didacus Jules, and USAID Mission Director for Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Christopher Cushing, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday, December 19th 2018, for the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Reform Project Phase II.
Director General of the OECS Commission, Dr. Didacus Jules, described the Juvenile Justice Reform Project as “a different approach to how we deal with young persons in conflict with the law”. Dr. Jules said the core focus is on rehabilitation and reintegration, reducing recidivisms, creating a different relationship between youths in conflict with the law, and how to handle the problems that they present. According to Jules, the provisions in the JJRP II for St. Vincent and the Grenadines include a detention centre for girls, training for two persons as trainers in aggression replacement therapy, training for counsellors and social workers in managing trauma, and a parenting programme.
Dr. Jules acknowledged the support of his team at the OECS commission and commended them for their work on the JJRP II. He expressed deep appreciation to the USAID and their team, in particular, Lyndel Archibald, Project Coordinator of the JJRP. Jules explained that there has been “a lot of pressure on the team but they’ve done an extraordinary amount of work in pushing this forward and the fact that USAID has decided to go into a Phase II is an indication of the confidence and the work that has been accomplished”.
In his remarks, USAID Mission Director for Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Christopher Cushing, said the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding “reflects the collective commitment of the United States, the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the OECS to provide alternative pathways that support the successful rehabilitation and reintegration of youth in conflict with the law.” Cushing said community support is vital for the successful reintegration of youths who have had conflict with the law. He used the opportunity to call for community support to help youths reintegrate into society.
Minister with responsibility for Youth and Family, Hon. Frederick Stephenson, expressed thanks to regional and international partners for assisting this country to uphold national and international responsibilities and human rights obligations for the children of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Minister Stephenson pledged his Government’s commitment towards the reform of the Juvenile Justice System and “the protection and development of our nation’s children”.
Minister Stephenson disclosed that the new Child Justice Bill is before a Select Committee of the Parliament of St. Vincent and the Grenadine. He added that they’ve had “fruitful discussions as they try to model the Bill to suit the circumstances for St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The Minister of National Mobilisation stated that “by the time the Bill is passed it would be a comprehensive legislative reform for the juvenile justice and child justice here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines”. Minister Stephenson is hopeful that by the end of January they “would complete the Select Committee meetings”.
The signing for the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Reform Project Phase II took place at Cabinet room.
