PRISON IS HELL SAYS INMATE

Bain, who has nine more months to serve of his four-year sentence, blamed "disobedience and failure to listen to my parents" for his present incarceration.

"When my parents were telling me about doing good things and not smoking marijuana in the house, I did not listen. I felt I was a big man and left," said Bain.

"My advice is children listen to your parents, take good advice, change yourselves and pray. There is no freedom, no love in prison.

"What you see outside is just for looks. When you get inside is lockdown and stress. Keep out of prison," he advised.

The bard who attained six CXC passes and learned to sew while in the prison rehabilitation programme believes he found his gift in prison for writing and singing Calypsos. He said he intends to seek the advice of Hollis Liverpool "Chalkdust," his mentor, when he leaves prison.

Bain, who sang "Parental advice," was the Maximum Security Prison "Road March" winner.

Ester Bidasee, "Sweet E," won the 2006 female prison’s "best jail song." She expressed similar sentiments and called on women to avoid being influenced by friends and to focus their lives on their dreams and work towards them. She also advised her fellow inmates to get involved in all the rehabilitation programmes, or as many as possible, in order to have something to live by when they are released. The mother of one, who must serve four more years of her eight-year sentence, sang "Ah jail chutney."

Female Road March champ, St Vincent born Shauna Quow, has blamed circumstances for her situation, saying if a person should go to prison, he/she should get into the rehabilitation programme.

"Friends will lead you, but they would not bring you back. When you are caught, it is you alone."

Quow, who attained five CXC passes while in prison, has six months left of her three-year sentence.

Phil Sorzano, the Golden Grove Prison Monarch winner, blamed drugs and neglect for his circumstances and pleaded with youths to keep away from drugs. He called on families to take more interest in their children’s lives.

He also advised his peers to take part in all of the rehabilitation programmes the prison has to offer. Winner of the 2006 Road March in the Port-of-Spain Prison competition, Lenny Reyes —"Limping Lenny" — who kept insisting that he was innocent of his crimes, supported the views of the other artistes.