The three teenaged boys who caused $1.3 million worth of damage when they set fire to Harrington Sound Primary School last February will receive overseas psychiatric assessment -- at the taxpayers' expense.

And Health and Social Services Minister Nelson Bascome admitted it was possible the young offenders could be back in the care of their parents within two weeks of their return to the Island.

The Royal Gazette was told that the news has angered other teenaged offenders -- some of whom have been waiting for overseas assessment for more than a year. At least one is considered to be a serious sexual offender.

The three teenaged boys who admitted setting fire to Harrington Sound Primary School were sentenced on Wednesday to two years in an "approved society'', but were released into the care of their parents later that night.

That decision was made by the director of Observatory Cottage who said the facility was not equipped to handle arsonists.

Mr. Bascome announced his decision to send the boys overseas at a press conference called yesterday, acknowledging the "high level of public interest in the case''.

"Government is treating the matter very seriously,'' he said. "Arrangements are being made to have the three youths placed in a detention facility overseas where a full assessment will be conducted as a basis of further treatment and intervention.'' But psychiatric evaluations were already compiled on the youths by local professionals, both by probation services and private consultants, with reports presented to Magistrate Carlisle Greaves during the trial.

Island cannot deal with young arsonists: Minister Explaining that assessments "specifically relating to arsonists'' have not been carried out, Mr. Bascome defended his decision to send the boys overseas and queried whether the necessary testing can be carried out locally; the Minister confessed that he did not know.

While Mr. Bascome said he had not settled on which overseas detention centre the three boys would be sent to, he did note their travel documents would be surrendered today.

"We anticipate the transfer of the three youths to an overseas facility within the next two weeks,'' he said.

Admitting the trip is only for assessment purposes, Mr. Bascome said he expected the testing to be complete within two weeks after which time he would be guided by the directives made.

He conceded that if the advice remains that the youths be committed to an approved society and on their return to the Island, Observatory Cottage is still full, then the three would likely be released back to their homes.

The Minister also revealed provision has been made in the upcoming budget for a special purpose-built juvenile facility. He noted that more facilities were needed and stressed his view that underaged offenders should not be housed in facilities with adults.

Meanwhile The Royal Gazette last night spoke with a residential care insider who said they were "frustrated'' by the Minister's latest action.

According to the insider, Mr. Bascome's move not only sent the wrong message to the public, but also to other teenaged boys already in juvenile homes.

"One of the boys has actually said, `Oh, so now I see what I need to do, I need to burn this place down', and that really concerns me.

"We have boys who desperately need to be sent overseas and they keep asking when they will be allowed to go. Now we don't know how to answer them, because some have been waiting for over a year while these three haven't even been in custody.

"It is unfair and I am very frustrated and if the Minister is really sending those three overseas it will bring residential care on this Island to its knees.'' Nelson Bascome