Africa-Press – Seychelles. • Operating theme for the year announced
Representatives from the various religious groups met with prison service management at the service’s headquarters, SPS Montagne Posée, on Wednesday February 2, 2022.
They received updates from the Commissioner of Prisons, Raymond St Ange, and discussed their planned work for the first quarter of the year 2022.
Following the onset of the Covid-19, religious and spiritual programmes being suspended in 2020 had to revert to other means to carry out the various works of the group. Where possible, virtual sessions were held. Thankfully, however in 2021 the programme of work was restarted with face-to-face sessions observing Covid-19 protocols and inmates actively and positively participating.
The first meeting this year chaired by the Commissioner St Ange, provided an opportunity as well as for Fred Laurence, programme coordinator under Project Phoenix Rehabilitation, to further brief those assembled and to take onboard suggestions for the first quarter of this year. Mr Laurence, a former headteacher with twenty-five years of experience, will shortly complete one year of service.
“It has been an exciting and challenging first year and one which has kept me quite busy,” said Mr Laurence.
The support provided by religious and faith groups to convicted inmates and remands is important and pivotal to the sentence planning of those under the care and responsibility of the prison service. For this reason and noting that under the Nelson Mandela Rules for the humane treatment of prisoners, rules 65 and 66, relate to religion and access by inmates, that the prison service has announced that its operating theme for 2022 will be, “Implementing the Nelson Mandela Rules. A commitment to improve!” Every year since the change of management, announced on November 22, 2017, the prison service has had an operating theme to guide it for that calendar year, the first being in 2018. This year’s theme therefore is the fifth.
To date the Roman Catholic Church, the Islamic Society of Seychelles, Seventh Day Adventist, Pentecostal Church of Seychelles, and the Jehovah Witness participate officially with the prison service religious and spiritual faith-based programme. Pastor Linda Elizabeth, promoting ‘Virtuous Women’ mission, has since last year joined the programme.
This year an added focus will be for inmates to consider what it means to be a good citizen even as they serve their sentences.
Interested groups who may wish to officially be part of the faith-based approach are welcome to contact Elsa Nourrice, principal probation officer and head of the Rehabilitation and Psychosocial Support department of the prison service, on 4380201.
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