Dear Editor,
In response to the Tribune Editorial of May 30th 2017, Historic Nassau –A City in Desperate Need of Saving, I would offer the following.
The entire country is one huge dump regardless of which island you're portraying, a situation that says much about what the average Bahamians priorities are and how little respect we have for ourselves, our surroundings and our environment.
It wouldn't take much imagination or effort however to get on top of some of Nassau's issues. We have an abundant work force already paid for by the taxpayer’s resident at HM Prisons that could and should be put to work for their own benefit as well as that of the community and country at large.
I am not speaking about those convicted of violent crime, firearm offences, rape and murder but rather those many first time offenders incarcerated for petty theft and other minor offences including minor marijuana possession.
Aside from carrying out the more mundane tasks of cleaning, painting and maintaining public areas, parks and buildings, many of those imprisoned are skilled artisans and craftsmen who could be more usefully employed in constantly working at restoring and maintaining our historic buildings and monuments at no cost to the government other than that of the materials required.
A program of this sort could also be dovetailed quite seamlessly into other programs offered by the Ministry of Social Services, and Urban Renewal. For example, instead of paying crony or phony contractors for repairs or clean up contracts, give the work to a suitably supervised cooperative of qualified prison inmates whose payments could be held in escrow for them against their release. This would not only see the implementation of meaningful prison reform and prisoner rehabilitation, but these funds would give them an immediate head start in life after serving their sentence. Further, such an initiative could form the base for the establishment of a permanent community service and rehabilitation program, perhaps mandatory enrollment and attendance at BTVI as an alternative to incarceration for first time offenders, if we have to pay to feed them we might as well pay to train them. This would also instill a feeling of self-worth in those individuals; provide badly needed vocational training and a basic salary while helping them to improve their quality of life as well as that of many others within their own communities.
Prison labour is not a new concept and is used in many countries worldwide; unfortunately prisoner reform in the form of education, work skills, deferred gratification and conflict resolution has never been a priority for any of our politicians or governments in recent memory which is one of the primary reasons for the rampant recidivism and continuing crime in our communities today.
Therefore why not kill two birds with one stone by not only cleaning up our island and city but providing some of our misguided young men with the skills and incentive necessary to bypass that constantly revolving prison door and the ever lengthening unemployment line.
Sincerely
Ian Mabon
May 31, 2017
