By Terresa McCall
Antigua Sun
Nevis, West Indies – February 10, 2007
One year after Operation Future began operating in St. Kitts, the programme, which seeks to educate children about drugs, violence and crime will soon be taken into the schools of Nevis.
The programme came into effect in February, 2006 and since then all primary schools and most of the high schools on St. Kitts have been visited by the Operation Future team.
During the visits, the team held assemblies with the students and staff of the schools as well as provided them with knowledge about the harmful effects of drug use and abuse among others.
President of the organisation, Constable Lauston Percival has explained that while he hoped to take the programme to Nevis as soon as it is possible, this couldn’t be done until the leg of the Cricket World Cup which St. Kitts is host to, is over.“Plans are in gear to go over to Nevis not to really take over the operations of Nevis but to give the officers in Nevis a heads-up as to what to do and how the operation should run. I think the best time to do this is after the World Cup because, it is just around the corner and the officers will be heavily engaged in their work. So we think it is best to wait until that is completed and go to Nevis.”
The officer said although they are not yet aware, there are few officers who have been hand-picked to carry on the Nevis chapter of Operation Future and once they agree to be a part of the programme they will receive hands-on training.
“We will not really have training sessions but it will be more hands-on. We will go to a few of the schools in Nevis and take the officers along and show them how to conduct the programme. We have targeted officers already. Without them knowing, we have seen officers and when we are just getting ready to go over, we will inform them and let them know that we have singled them out to be a part of the programme and once they are willing to be part of the programme, we will go to Nevis and start a chapter there.”
Percival expressed that for some time he had thought of taking the programme to the sister island but wanted to ensure that it was fully functional in St. Kitts before making another move.