The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

FNM deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright called on government to provide clarity on its prison work programme, highlighting “concerning” reports of prisoners being involved in the construction and renovation of private homes in western New Providence.

In a press statement, Mr Cartwright questioned whether the initiative was a legitimate works programme authorised by the Ministry of National Security.

He also asked for clarification on its framework, scope, and compliance with Bahamas Department of Correctional Services regulations. 

In response, prison commissioner Doan Cleare defended the Inmate Industries Programme, calling it a safe initiative that greatly benefits prisoners.

He explained that the inmates involved are carefully vetted and are only selected if they are within six to eight months of release. 

“They are vetted by the psychiatrist. They go through a whole vigorous programme before they are placed on the streets,” he told The Tribune. 

Mr Cartwright emphasised that while he has no issue with prisoners being given the opportunity to work for self-sufficiency, public awareness and notification are necessary.

He added that many Bahamians found the idea of prisoners working on private homes “alarming and inappropriate”.

However, Commissioner Cleare dismissed these concerns, giving assurance that the programme is safe and has been operating for the past two and a half years.

He said the work scheme was modelled after a similar initiative in Canada.

He further explained that inmates participating in the programme are monitored while working with private contractors, and only those who are within six to eight months of release are selected for the programme.

“If the leader of the opposition would have called me, I could have explained the programme to him or to anyone else,” he said. “But it is a good, workable programme and it is paying tremendous dividends for inmates.”

The prison commissioner added that many of the men enrolled in the programme leave prison with thousands of dollars in their accounts and often express their intention to start their own landscaping or construction businesses.

He stressed that the goal of the programme, and correctional facilities as a whole, is to rehabilitate prisoners and equip them with the tools necessary to contribute positively to society upon their release.

He added: “Rehabilitation is more than just putting them in classroom and say, ‘oh, you change.’ We have to teach them skills, meaningful skills, and we have to, before they are released, they have to have something in their pockets.”

“Because I can guarantee you if they go or they’re broke (and) no place to live, they will commit crime again so it is my job as the leader of the institution to give them a better chance of surviving upon their peace. That’s all the programme, the Inmate Industries is. They give them a better chance.”

This is not the first time officials have defended a prison work release programme.

Last year, several residents contacted this newspaper after spotting Kevin Patrick Hanna, who was convicted of killing his family in 1984, in public and questioned whether he had been released.

Commissioner Cleare explained that Mr Hanna was part of a prison work release programme and said it was time for the public to accept that some offenders will eventually be reintegrated into society.