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A new Chairman has been chosen for the Commission of Inquiry into the escape of inmates and other related occurrences at the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), Onderneeming, on the Essequibo Coast, more than two months ago.During a brief telephone interview with Kaieteur News yesterday,Minnesota Twins Jason Castro Jersey, Minister of Culture Youth, and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony said that the person has already agreed to hold the position, and that he is currently going through the terms and conditions. He however declined to give the name of the individual, as a public announcement will be made next week. Nonetheless, investigations are expected to commence after the formalities are completed.Ever since the resignation of previous chairman, Mr. Prem Persaud, all investigations into the violent unrest at NOC have been stalled.Persaud was said to have been “caught up between being the Chairman of both the Commission of Inquiry and the Public Utilities Commission”.Minister Anthony had told this publication that the commissioners are being given a strict timeline to work with, and that it coincided with an important PUC conference that Mr. Persaud had to prepare for.“It was understandable that he had to divert his energy elsewhere,” the Minister had explained.Persaud resigned just as the commission was preparing to visit and conduct interviews with staffers and inmates of the NOC.The Commission of Inquiry was set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding the violent rampage that a number of youngsters ages ranging from 14 to 16 went on in a bid to escape from the Juvenile detention facility.Reports are that the teenagers stormed through several communities while being armed with cutlasses and other weapons. During this period, a female dormitory and a workshop within the compound were set alight.Minister Anthony told Kaieteur News yesterday that the young ladies who were housed in the dorm had to be relocated.As far as the workshop is concerned, Anthony said that it had caused a constraint on training programmes. However,Matt Kemp Jersey, the Ministry,Tommy Hunter Jersey, about a year ago, implemented the courses which are being offered by the Kuru Kururu Training Centre,Martin Maldonado Jersey, at the NOC. This, he indicated, has been going well, and has seen 19 persons graduating with diplomas.Minister Anthony also pointed out that some international organizations have promised assistance in rebuilding the workshop and dorms. Even UNICEF, the Minister said,Tampa Bay Rays Tommy Hunter Jersey, has promised to replace some of the material lost in the fires.Subsequent to the unrest some of the inmates, after being confronted,Milwaukee Brewers Neftali Feliz Jersey, claimed that they were being abused by staffers,St. Louis Cardinals Dexter Fowler Jersey, and that they had reached breaking point. A senior Ministry official had however stated that none of the juveniles made any such allegations to the team which visited the centre prior to the escape.It was as a result of these controversial statements, that a Commission of Inquiry was ordered.The Board of Inquiry currently includes Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture,Luis Sardinas Jersey, Youth and Sport, Alfred King; Senior Superintendent and Divisional Commander of ‘D’ Division, Christopher Griffith; Senior Probation Officer of Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Trenetta Scott and Mr. Maydha Persaud, a retired headmaster and member of the Teaching Service Commission.Of the 48 inmates who had appeared in court, eight were charged with arson,Miami Marlins Edinson Volquez Jersey, and 40 were arraigned for escaping from a training school. Twelve of the inmates are female, while thirty-six are male.Thirteen of the juveniles pleaded guilty to escaping from the NOC, while the remaining 35 entered not guilty pleas.Sixteen of the inmates were remanded to the juvenile facility in Georgetown, while the other 32 were returned to the NOC.Minister Anthony stands firm on his decision to penalize any staffer of the facility, should they be found guilty of abusing the children. |
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