Inmates given day-old chickens after completing time

SEVEN inmates who completed their jail terms at Buimo prison in Morobe were given a carton of day-old chicks each to start their normal lives in the community.
This is part of Buimo prison’s re-integration programme.
The Department of Justice and Attorney-General, through crime prevention and restorative justice branch, reached out to Buimo to start enhancing outgoing prisoners with chicken training programme.
Justice Department’s Jesse Ikio said the department went into partnership with Zenag Highland Product Ltd in 2015 to start the programme.
The programme was implemented in 24 project sites, including Madang, Rabaul, Wewak, Jiwaka, Western Highlands, Enga and the National Capital District.
“We also identify parolees and find out what is in their need when they come out from prisons and give them day-old chickens as a reintegration programme to ensure they feel useful to look after themselves,” Ikio said.
Ikio said the public-private partnership programme was aimed at alleviating crime in the country.
Buimo jail commander Felix Namane initiated the prisoner’s re-integration programme in 2017 giving second-hand bales to inmates that completed their jail terms.
Namane said the programme added value to the lives of people that walked out of Buimo’s gate.
He said the project was transforming lives of individuals who formerly involved in crime.