Latest update December 11th, 2024 1:33 AM
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Dr. Harding ought to be congratulated for NOC offer – AFC MP Williams
Alliance for Change (AFC) Member of Parliament Trevor Williams said yesterday that former Presidential Candidate Dr. Faith Harding should be congratulated for her initiative and government should take this opportunity to use her.
Dr. Faith Harding
Harding who is a Child Development Psychologist, on Wednesday told Kaieteur News that she is willing to offer her expertise to the New Opportunity Corps (NOC).
According to Williams, it is commendable that Harding is offering her services to remedy the situation at the NOC. He said that he trusts that the issue will not die. Williams said further that he had expected a response from Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony.
“It has become a normal feature of not just the Ministry, of course, but other government officials on issues of this nature,” Williams told the media yesterday.
He said that the Alliance for Change had made a call a few weeks back for a transparent process of investigation and a turnaround with respect to the reports coming out of the Ministry.
“Anthony and his ministry have been given a fair opportunity to respond to this and now he responds in a shutdown mode… and his rejection of very valid criticisms needs to change” Williams said.
He opined that the minister ought to speed up process to get the 2012 inquiry report which has been delayed.
“It’s not just the APNU and the AFC that’s bothered about this, but even people out there” Williams noted.
“I’m always willing to go and help young people throughout Guyana,” Dr. Harding told Kaieteur News on Wednesday. She said that it was unfortunate for Minister Dr. Frank Anthony to say that the NOC is unable to attract persons to work there.
“The ministry could find the money, and it’s no secret that I’m qualified; likewise so many others in Guyana, but no one from the Ministry has ever come forward and asked me,” Harding said.
She added that it’s no secret that the institution needs a total revamp. She had said that it is unfortunate that the government has institutions set up, but these aren’t properly set up to deal with issues.
Dr. Harding said that the NOC should have several counsellors or people who can do psychotherapy. It should also have a visiting Psychiatrist. She explained that the institution deals with delinquency and other crimes that have to do with conduct disorder.
“These children are put in this institution that is not equipped to handle the psychological problems that they may be facing. It’s rather unfortunate that government, after seeing a rise in crime in teenagers and this “gangster mentality” did not see it necessary to have a whole department of psychology to deal with the illness these children are dealing with. In that institution the children are already incarcerated. In a sense, it’s a detention facility.”
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