In a historic initiative focused on prison rehabilitation, His Majesty’s Prison recently organized its first-ever debate involving male and female inmates.
This collaborative effort, in partnership with the New Life Baptist Church, marked the beginning of an annual event aimed at fostering dialogue and constructive discourse within the prison community.
The male and female debate teams tackled the moot: “Why is the rate of reoffending so high, and what can the prison do to reduce the numbers?” The female team emerged victorious in the inaugural debate, earning $500 for their commendable efforts while the male team was rewarded with a sum of $250. Both prizes will be shared upon the release of the inmates.
Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Vincent Wheatley, highlighted the importance of such initiatives in addressing the challenges within the territory’s prison system. He emphasized the prison’s commitment to actively engage with inmates, listen to their experiences, and develop effective strategies for rehabilitation.
” To break this cycle, we must invest in rehabilitative measures within our prison services, providing inmates with the tools and support needed for successful reintegration into society, ensuring that the path to redemption is paved with genuine opportunities for change and growth.”
Praising the collaboration between the Prison Ministry arm at New Life Baptist Church and His Majesty Prison, Wheatley commended the success of the debate as a positive step towards prisoner rehabilitation.
Superintendent for Prison, Jay Kendall, expressed his team’s dedication to establishing long-term goals and strategies for prisoner rehabilitation. Acknowledging the importance of events like the debate, he highlighted the need for inmates’ voices to be heard in shaping the strategies for reducing reoffending rates.
Kendall also pledged to incorporate valuable insights and suggestions from the debate into the three-year strategic plan for His Majesty’s Virgin Islands Prison Service.
Meanwhile, Reverend Dr. Michael A. Turnbull, Pastor of the Cane Garden Bay Baptist Church and the event’s moderator announced a donation of five laptops from the church to His Majesty’s Prison to further support the prison’s rehabilitative efforts and enhance educational opportunities for inmates.