Some eight hundred and sixty-one (861) inmates who are currently being housed at the Mazaruni, New Amsterdam, Camp Street and Timehri Prisons graduated this past week (Wednesday 12 January 2022) after successfully completing a number of “ground-breaking” training courses offered at the institutions.
The programmes aim to prepare inmates for life outside of the prison and to assist with their reintegration into society.
The inmates had the opportunity to participate in a number of different training areas with the following courses having been offered; entrepreneurship, anger management, carpentry and joinery, family reconciliation, tailoring, culinary arts, art and craft, cosmetology, barbering, crops husbandry and Veterinary Sciences.
The courses were extended to all prisoners including those on remand and also those who were convicted with several high-profile and special watch inmates taking the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves with the courses.
Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot conveyed that the Prison Service has an obligation and mandate to provide prisoners with skills that would facilitate their reintegration into society, whilst at the same time, helping inmates to realise their mistakes with the view to becoming better individuals.
Elliot went on to say that inmates were given the opportunity to participate in the various programming so that they could learn skills that would better prepare them for life after prison.
Elliot noted that, “we are adequately preparing them whether it is with skill or educational training so that when they are released back into society, they are productive citizens.”
Elliot further went on to say that as prison infrastructure continues to develop, more prisoners would be able to benefit from initiatives such as these.
All graduates were present with a “Certificate of Recognition” for their successful participation.
