VISION on Mission (VOM) President Wayne Chance is proposing to use the spanking new $1.5 million Mt. Lambert Facility which is currently under dispute to house young persons coming out of orphanages and have no where to live.
The seven-bedroom house was originally earmarked to house deportees, rehabilitated convicts, delinquent youths, battered women and fire victims.
Residents of the area are arguing that the centre would devalue their property and endanger their lives and sought the intervention of MP Justice Minister Herbert Volney, who promised to fight for his constituents.
The spanking new $1.5m Mt. Lambert Facility
Chance said the house could be used to benefit countless persons, who on reaching age 18 have nowhere to go upon leaving and orphanage.
He told TnT Mirror that he is planning to pitch his proposal to the Minister of Gender, Youth and Child Development, Verna St. Rose-Greaves.
Chance said many persons were of the view that VOM is a prison-based organisation.
He, however, explained, “I am the only ex-prisoner with VOM. The other employees and board members are not ex-prisoners.”
He also noted there was a need for housing for the young orphans, who are advantaged.
“Go to Eddie Hart Ground and you will see them sleeping on the benches at night because they don’t have anywhere to go,” he said.
Chance said that some ex-orphans also come to him for housing.
“VOM helps them,” he said, adding, “We recently took in two orphans at the Intransit Centre in Mt. Lambert and help them. In one case the young man was being raped by a male relative and in another case the person was being influenced to sell illegal drugs,” he said.
Chance said VOM is not only about inmates, but is a treatment centre for delinquents and is wide-based and focussed on the youths.
In fact, Chance said VOM has been involved with the youths since 2006 through his Youth Arise Operation and in 2007 VOM established Operation Link-up in the East-West Corridor. Schools also make request for the organisation to conduct anti-crime discourses with students.
Already, Chance is holding discussions with psychologist Dr. Stephen Bailey, whose specialty is in behavioural patterns among young people, with the hope that he will form part of the team to assist youths.
