‘We want to go to university’

Inmates at the female prison facility at Arouca continue to shine steadily, with sterling achievements in academic subjects and vocational skills and on Friday afternoon, many of them graduated in a variety of subject areas all acquired behind close doors. It is the effort of hard working female prisons officers headed by newly promoted Prisons Supervisor Esther Knights and her staff at the women’s  prison. It was a moment of pride for the women, who not only displayed their craft after months of training and development but were joined by their families who were specially invited to witness their accomplishments  as they received their certificates issued by the National Examinations Council and to share private moments with them.

Many of the women, whether on remand or convicted entered the prison without hope, skills and qualifications of any kind and on Friday were the proud recipients of certificates in subject areas such as CXC English, Prin-ciples of Business;  Cosmetology,  Upholstery; Music (pan, guitar, cuatro and piano), Computing, Accounts, Drama, Adult literacy tutors certification and a Big Sister programme which is a programme in which the older more mature achievers in the system assist and mentor the young ones entering the prison for the first time. Estina Bedasie, the valedictorian at this year’s graduation is from Cedros and has approximately four more years at the institution. She has been a model prisoner and takes a leading role in educational, social and cultural programmes for prisoners.

She has developed in myriad ways and credits  Knights and her staff for her growth and development. Today she has certificates in English, Computer literacy, Business arts and Computing, Music, Upholstery and is presently pursuing studies in Social studies, CXC Maths, Accounts and Office Administration. She hopes to become a journalist and a certified computer technician. Bedasie credits officers Charmaine Johnson, Pat Assivero, Rebecca Prince-Bishop and Donna McDonald with her development and in her speech stated that “acquiring these skills will make us self-sufficient and marketable individuals as we make or await our re-entry into society.” She declared that many of them are “set and ready to pursue all levels of tertiary education,” and on prison reform, she expresses the feeling that, “the fact that members of our families are present today says a lot for the direction that the prison service is taking in prison reform and rehabilitation.”

Special  tribute was paid to the following  civilian tutors who visited the institution regularly to give of their time and knowledge — Renee Bobb-Semple who taught English; Music Teacher Frank McPherson; Clyde Haynes who taught Math and Principles of accounts and Bernard Evans who taught upholstery. The supervisor, of the Women’ s Prison was at times moved emotionally and commented on the “struggle” especially by those who resisted the efforts at reform and the lack of material and supplies which made the task difficult.  She explained that the graduation of 20 “of our charges”  is in keeping with the new thrust of the prison service which she described as “a movement from retribution to restoration” that incorporates correction, protection, re-integration and community relations.”

On a lighter note Knights told her audience, “it was once said that the person who holds the key to hell’s gate is a prisons officer, however my officers do not see it that way but are working miracles, despite the lack of resources but the rewards are great, for our society would be a better one for it.” Some of the outstand   who received special awards were Rohini Jones, Shelly Ann Anganoo, Angela Joseph, Marion Janse Vans Rensburg of South Africa, Lystra Copeland, Denise Sheppard, Anita Bisnauth of Guyana, Vanessa Small, Trudy Cornwall, Ria Rampersad, Juliet Lashley and Sheila Sinanan.