Boards Established for Juvenile Centres

Cabinet has approved the establishment of several Boards of Visitors and the appointment of their members to Juvenile Correctional and Remand Centres across the island.

Addressing a Jamaica House Media Briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on October 9, Information Minister, Senator Hon. Sandrea Falconer, said the Juvenile Boards of Visitors are being established to monitor the operations of the Juvenile Centres within the Department of Correctional Services and will meet once per month.

“Their functions will include observance and assessment of diet, health, maintenance, conditions of detention and other matters relating to the safety and wellbeing of children in the centres,” she informed.

The Minister also informed that each board must have a registered medical practitioner, an attorney-at-law, with at least five years experience, and a psychologist.

“The board is required to submit reports to the Children’s Advocate, the superintendent of the institution, the Commissioner of Corrections and the Minister of National Security,” the Minister informed.

The chairpersons for the various centres are as follows: Dr. Abigail Harrison for the Metcalfe Street Juvenile Centre; Dr. Gladys Hyatt for South Camp Juvenile Correctional and Remand Centre;  Muffat Townsend for Rio Cobre Juvenile Correctional Centre; and Franklyn Moodie for the Hill Top Juvenile Correctional.

Addressing the briefing, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of National Security, Major General Stewart Saunders, said the board appointments will not cause any undue burden to the Ministry’s budget. He said they were taken into consideration and accommodated in the budget.

Major General Saunders also noted that they are meant to address certain administrative functions within the juvenile institutions.