When Correctional Service Solomon Islands (CSSI) needed to renovate its single quarters for the intake of new recruits it was faced with a financial shortfall to complete the work, it was then that the prisoners from the CSSI joinery stepped in in to do the renovation work.
Working along with their wood working teacher and Australian Volunteer Phillip Bennet the team of prisoners have worked quickly to completely renovate the barracks and have it looking fresh and ready on time to welcome the new CSSI recruits.
Speaking at the handover this week the acting CSSI Commissioner Patrick Sale said, “meaningful work is a very important part of an inmate’s rehabilitation, and work such as this, engaging the inmates in renovating and painting and the skills learnt were most useful here in the Solomon Islands and contributed greatly to their rehabilitation.”
The acting Commissioner added: “what made good prisoner rehabilitation was a balance of programs to change thinking but it must also contain elements such as work like this could be easily applied in the community.
He said that the project was also very good in having a beginning and end, inmate got to work with a timeline that had to be met, so he congratulated the inmates of having delivered the work on time and to a very good high standard, so they should celebrate this achievement.
The Acting Deputy Commissioner Mr. Douglas Mamaka said that this project was just a beginning and CSSI would be looking for further opportunities that could benefit the inmates, CSSI and the community as well as save the Government money that would otherwise go to project contractors. This was a real win-win for all involved.
The Acting Commissioner Mr. Sale said that CSSI could now get on with announcing the successful new CSSI recruits and welcome them into their newly refurbished barracks, as this was just one very important administration detail that had delayed the announcement until now.
The acting Commissioner also thanked Australian Volunteers International AVI and its Director Jodi and thanked them for the CSSI current volunteer Mr Bennet who has been assisting in the CSSI joinery since October 2015 and now is set to receive another Farm Management Volunteer to join Tetere Prison Farm in June.
