Youth council disagrees with Hanna’s plans

The National Youth Council of Jamaica says it is disappointed that the Ministry of Youth has taken a decision to retrofit police stations, so that children who are in conflict with the law are housed separately from adults.

Two day ago, the minister said that the JEEP secretariat is now completing estimates for self-contained facilities, as Best Practice Holding Centres designated for children to be built at selected police stations.

She said the ideal situation will be to have one of these facilities per parish, so that children in lock-ups will be accommodated separately from adults.

However, the youth council said this is against the Child Care and Protection Act, which prohibits a child in conflict with the law to be placed at police stations.

The council is suggesting that the Malvern Special High School in Elizabeth be used to house the children, saying it would be more a prudent and beneficial temporary solution.

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