Saint Lucia pushing ahead to repurpose the George Charles Secondary School into a modern, state-of-the-art Juvenile Rehabilitation Centre for both sexes

By Ministry of Equity, Social Government & Empowerment

The Government of Saint Lucia is pushing ahead to achieve its promise to repurpose the George Charles Secondary School into a modern, state-of-the-art Juvenile Rehabilitation Centre for both sexes.

 On Thursday, February 2, 2023, Minister for Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment Hon. Joachim Henry toured the Grand Bacolet Juvenile Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre in Grenada, where a similar initiative was done and is touted as the most impressive in the Eastern Caribbean.

For almost two decades, there has been expressions by successive governments to construct a rehabilitation centre to relocate the Massade, Gros Islet based Boys Training Centre (BTC), which has been in existence for more than 60 years.

Hon. Joachim Henry expressed delight that this project is moving forward under his administration and that At-Risk juveniles will receive the rehabilitation and care they so desperately deserve.

“The Government is currently in the process of securing the expertise of an architect to finalized plans for the project and as Minister under whose responsibility the BTC falls, I’m delighted to have taken the opportunity to visit the Grand Bacolet Juvenile Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre in Grenada, where best practices in this particular area of rehabilitation are being observed,” noted Minister Henry.

While in Grenada, Minister Henry also profited the opportunity to meet with his colleague ministers, Senator Hon. Gloria Ann Thomas and Hon. Phillip Telesford in the Ministry of Social and Community Development, Housing and Gender Affairs.