Ramon B. Camacho, Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council chairman, said enlisting the support of the Boy Scouts, who are 11 to 17 years old, will help make them “become more responsible persons in the community.”
The island director of the local Boy Scouts, Calistro Reyes, said the scouting movement supports its members in their physical, mental and spiritual development, so that they may play constructive roles in society.
Wayne Gillespie of the Boy Scouts of American, who is also the Salvation Army Saipan outpost ministry leader, said the neighborhood watch can help identify the community members who can work with the scouts.
The neighborhood watch has members in Dandan, Koblerville, Kagman, Chalan Kanoa, Susupe, Sugar King and Tanapag.
Reyes expressed his desire to join the task force in his village, As Perdido.
William Torres, neighborhood watch adviser, said the contributions of the church, school and family in building character among the youth is not enough to combat social ills.
“We need to strengthen their current efforts and the Boy Scout is another avenue in building the youth’s capacity to say ‘no’ to harmful things,” he said.
Neighborhood Watch Task Force Chairman Sgt. Vicente H. Sablan said they also want to work with the Public School System and the parents.
“It’s a very good start if we work with PSS, especially with students and parents,” he added.
Other participants in the task force’s meeting with the Boy Scouts were Tanapag block captain Sebastian Tajibmai, Kagman block captain Glenn Dikito, Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council member Ralph Yumul, Boy Scouts Kenneth Esplin and Mark Birmingham.
