GOVERNMENT will be spending $15M to train religious leaders in a faith-base approach to deal with domestic violence, President Bharrat Jagdeo announced at a news conference yesterday. He said Guyana has passed some of the most advanced legislation in the world as it relates to domestic violence. However, he pointed out that adequate training and the much required sensitivity to the issue is also necessary.
“We plan to correct this deficiency and we think that the best partner in doing this is the religious community,” President Jagdeo said.
Approximately 600 members of the Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Rastafarian, and Bahai faiths will undertake the training, that will be conducted by a New York based established inter-faith counselling service provider on domestic violence, led by Dr. Cecil Mercurius.
It is expected that this initiative, which is part of the interventionist strategies to deal with domestic violence and other aspects of the Administration’s work with the religious communities in addressing social concerns, will build the capacity of these religious leaders who, in turn, will be able to extend the training further afield.
The training session will be conducted at five locations: Georgetown, Uitvlugt, Linden,  Fort Wellington and Albion. Each one will be held from October 25 to 29. (GINA)