Praise for prison staff, inmates

THE training and up-skilling of 31 Correctional officers and 99 prisoners has contributed to the promotion of corporate excellence in correctional services, Kerevat Correctional Institution (KCI) commander Margaret Garap says.
She made the remarks during the graduation ceremony of Technical Vocational Education Training (Tvet) programme at Kerevat jail in East New Britain on Tuesday.
Garap said the up-skilling of its human resource and the rehabilitation of the detainees in preparation for their successful reintegration was a priority.
She said the 10-week training would have long-term benefits in the lives of the officers and the prisoners.
Garap said the training would help with the human resource capacity building in terms of trade skills and intellect for the PNG correctional service.
“Kerevat Correctional Institution will no longer outsource manpower for contract work as we will utilise the skilled men and women we have,” she said.
She said the Tvet courses will lead to a shift in the correctional service becoming self-reliant and able to meet its own needs. Garap and Correctional Services deputy commissioner – operations Dennis Piandi officiated at the unveiling of their new guard house and the main gate was an example of the KCI relying on its own personnel.
She commended the effort of the course participants as well as those of the Tvet instructors from the Vunamami Farmers Training Centre (VFTC). The guard house and the main gate were constructed by the carpentry and welding trainees.
Garap thanked the VFTC instructors for their commitment to delivering the course and coordinating the training programme.
After the graduation ceremony the 130 graduates displayed some of their finished products.