Task force to address New Opportunity Corps issues – Minister Henry

In the wake of her recent visit to the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), Onderneeming, Essequibo, Minister within in the Ministry of Education, with responsibility for the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, Nicolette Henry says that she will set up a Task Force to address the issues currently existing there.

Nicolette Henry
Nicolette Henry

GINA said that speaking with the media, Henry, who visited the institution on June 4, said that, “There is some work to be done there, but it needs to be done in a strategic manner.”

Under the previous PPP/C administration, the NOC had been the scene of a mass breakout, arson and allegations of sexual abuse and inhumane treatment.

The Minister said a Task Force will be put in place to address not only  issues currently existing at the institution, but also to identify areas for improvement and bring those improvements to the fore. A Board of Inquiry was set up following the disturbances in August of 2012.

“After visiting the NOC, I thought I needed to see what the report of the Board of Inquiry would be,” Henry said, according to GINA, adding that though she has had the opportunity to look at the report, she has not been able to review it to “the extent that I would want to elaborate on those recommendations coming out of it.”

Henry however said that the Ministry will be having some follow up almost “immediately” to look at what was not addressed under the report.

She identified broad areas for attention as those of education, skills training and discipline.