Three wards from the Boys Training Centre (BTC) absconded Wednesday.
Four wards absconded from the facility last month, however, two have since returned. This means that presently five wards are out of the facility without authorization.
The situation has forced the Government of Saint Lucia to pay closer attention to security at the Centre, something the minister responsible for the BTC noted at a press conference recently.
āI know certain steps have been taken towards that (improving security at the facility). Theyāre talking about bringing in a private security firm but the Centre is run by the public service and you just canāt fire a public service security and bring in Guardsman or G4S. Itās not done so,ā someone close to the situation at the BTC told THE VOICE yesterday.
āThe Ministry has been in discussion and consultation with private security firmsā¦ hopefully a stronger security presence would be (in place). The Ministry on its own doesnāt have the capacity to round them (wards) up personally but the Ministry continues to work with law enforcement and continues to appeal to the citizenryā¦ people (who) may know where they areā¦ they may have family and there may be people who are harbouring them or that they are staying by,ā the spokesperson said.
āIf you know where one (ward) is you could call the police (and) the police can bring that boy in… or they (wards) can walk in on their own because life at the Centre is not so horrible you know,ā the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson further noted that the BTC is not a maximum-security prison, a point the Ministry has stressed on over the past month.
āItās a holding facility for juvenile boys. The Centre continues to seek rehabilitation (for) those boys. The focus seems to be on incarceration but thatās not the case. Itās like any other home; the boys are not escaping, āescapingā is the wrong word. They have absconded. āEscapeā makes it looks like youāre locked (up) and you cannot (leave). The boys can walk out you know,ā the spokesperson said, adding thatĀ the Ministry is advancing plans towards a new juvenile center for both boys and girls.
āThe CDB (Caribbean Development Bank) has been here and they are looking at George Charlesā¦ they have begun plans. An architect is already redesigning to retrofit the George Charles Secondary and then the boys can be transferred there,ā the spokesperson said.