CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC—The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) has signed an agreement with the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) to divert children and youth in conflict with the law away from incarceration and towards rehabilitation.
The agreement under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded OASYS project allows the court to use counseling, mediation, and alternative sentencing mechanisms.
“This sub-grant agreement which we have entered into with the OECS for the introduction of criminal mediation in the court system and the full establishment of a Family Division of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court is more than welcome,” said the acting ECSC Chief Justice, Mario Mitchell.
“All the more so because the project’s special focus is on children and youth in conflict with the law to devise a more holistic and humanistic approach to addressing social issues manifested in juvenile delinquency and criminality,” he added.
OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules, highlighting the significance of transforming youth justice, said, “We’re not merely signing an agreement; we are signaling our commitment to transformative justice that empowers, supports, and guides our youth towards brighter, more resilient futures.
“Through this OASYS initiative funded by our steadfast partner, the USAID, we are embarking on a journey to show how we handle youth in conflict with the law,” he added.
The Deputy Director of the General Development Office of USAID/Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Aurore Dorelien, said that through this grant, USAID is proud to partner with the stakeholders to provide alternative pathways.
“Together, we’re reducing the case backlog and building a foundation for a more just society. One that values the rehabilitation of youth and at the same time provides them with the support and guidelines that they need to be on the right path.”
The OECs OASYS project provides avenues for diverting children and youth between ages 10 to 29 who conflict with the law away from courts and custodial sentences.
The project promotes rehabilitative programs to prevent future delinquency, reduce recidivism, and facilitate reintegration into families and communities.
The OASYS Project is funded by USAID and implemented by the St. Lucia-based OECS Commission. It benefits the OECS member countries of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
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