Monday, Vanneur Pierre, Minister of Education, accompanied by Oswald Thimoléon, Secretary of State for Literacy chaired a meeting with the Community Police of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), represented by Michael Gédéon, the Departmental Director of the West (DDO) of the PNH, in the presence among others of some members of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince and the staff of the Ministry in order to find ways to achieve a better supervision of young operating in the streets, a particularly vulnerable group.

It was a first working meeting between the Ministry and the Community Police Section of the PNH, who wants to contribute to the development of these young people who, despite themselves, are found in the streets. Michael Gédéon declared that "the best way to be effective in the fight against crime is to support young people at the base, giving them more options for their full development in the respect of society, and this goes through education [...] Hence the need to participate in the great work already done by the Ministry in the School integration centers created for street children."

Michael Gédéon, welcomed the work done in some neighborhoods by the Community Police which is ready to launch towards new challenges. For DDO, it is also a way to be closer to the population and to rehabilitate the society.

Note that the Community Police section of the PNH is supported by the Police Department of New York through assistance provided by the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, whose some of whom took part in this working meeting.

For Minister Pierre, this is a glaring injustice which is being corrected through access to approximately 800 children who are currently attending school in three centers established in Port-au-Prince. Located in Delmas, Port-au-Prince and Croix-des-Bouquets, who receive the bread of education and learn a trade since the beginning of the academic year 2012-2013

"These are the citizens of tomorrow that we prepare for a more just and egalitarian society, in accordance with the wishes of the President of the Republic," declared he Minister who took the opportunity to announce the upcoming opening of centers in other provinces, including Cap-Haitien, always with the collaboration of several institutions including the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MAST) and the Child Protection Squad.

Gathered for the occasion, members of the staff of the Ministry working on the issue of street children were instructed by the Minister Vanneur Pierre to give their full support to this important work to which wants to join the PNH. After this meeting, a partnership structure "ad hoc" has been formed to monitoring the first inter-institutional activities, which will start in less than three weeks.

HL/ HaitiLibre