The Minister of State eastern region William Juana Smith has pledged his government’s commitment and readiness to embrace the civil society initiatives calling for the establishment of a juvenile rehabilitation centre for children in conflict with the law in Kenema district.
The resident Minister made this disclosure when addressing the civil society members and other stakeholders in the district, he says that before Sierra Leone’s Independence there use to exist juvenile reformation centres in some parts of the country like in Kingtom in the Western area, and another along Prince William street in Bo city south of the country to address the judicial needs of juvenile offenders in the provinces.
The Minister further states that the children kept at established remand homes in the past receive psychosocial counseling with the need to absorb them into acceptable community livelihood activities with positive mental, moral, religious and leadership responsibility and civic education.
He spoke of the importance of a juvenile remand home when established in the provinces noting it will serve as a transit point where children in conflict with the law are kept safely incommunicado with adult offenders to prevent them from becoming hardcore criminals in the society who can threaten the peace of other citizens.
The Minister further maintained that the solidarity march manifested by members of the public is a positive indicator sufficient enough to draw the attention of the government and non governmental organisations operating in Kenema district and the eastern region in particular. He called on all and sundry to join the civil society net campaign through the provision of moral and financial support in the interest of the nation devoid of tribal, political and religious sentiment.