The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

WITH nearly 70 per cent of prison inmates lacking a high school diploma, Her Majesty’s Prison allowed for hundreds of students from more than ten schools across New Providence to meet at the Church of God Auditorium for the fifth annual Anti-Crime Youth Rally.

The event sought to encourage Bahamian youth to “stop (and) think before you act” and lead a life away from criminality.

Hosted by the Prison in conjunction with The Ministries of National Security and Education, the rally included National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage and prison Superintendent Ellison Rahming. Dr Nottage addressed the students.

The students were treated to musical performances from local school choirs and popular artists, Christian Massive and KB; a dance performance by the group, Juice Unit; a skit featuring student actors and depicting the outcome of committing a crime; and an address from motivational speaker Andre Norman, who had spent 14 years in prison.

Dr Nottage told the youth that “there are too many young people in prison.” He called on students to lead a virtuous life.

“We live in a beautiful country. We say we’re a Christian country. We say we believe in God, yet the boys are getting into trouble, dropping out of school early, using drugs, using guns, breaking into people’s homes. We got to stop that – that’s why we are here today,” he said.

“To the girls – you all know the Ten Commandments. There are things you shouldn’t do and if you didn’t do them, you wouldn’t get pregnant before you get married. This is a serious message to you today.”

Students have “an awesome responsibility” to make the country the best it can be, he continued, stating: “I have the confidence that you have the talent and ability to do it.”

Prison superintendent Dr Rahming told the press, the rally is a part of the prison’s “deterrent strategy” for would-be offenders and young persons in general.

“We think the impact has been very beneficial. A number of young persons have been helped as a result of these activities,” he said. “If we could just reach a few we would have done good work in terms of deterring young people form engaging in delinquency and later on, criminality.”

He explained children are naturally “crime free” and stressed the importance of encouraging youth to stay in school and avoid “influences in society” that could pull them towards crime.

“If you were to go into our prisons you might find that 70 per cent of those inmates lack a high school diploma. That’s one of the common realities,” Dr Rahming said. “Just by ensuring that people stay in school, get their high school diploma, you significantly reduce the chances of one ending up in prison – as simple as that is.

“These rallies enforce the notion that if you latch yourself onto positive friends, positive ideas, and positive ideals, those tend to insulate you against engaging in crime.”