Let’s put our prisoners to work and the army too.

Can someone explain the following to me .

When a judge sentences a man  to ” ten years at hard labour”, what does that really mean?

Does it mean this individual will be made to work “hard” in prison for 10 years ?

The GOJ announced last year that it was going to spend millions of dollars over the christmas period for drain cleaning, roadside bushing, sidewalk painting etc. In addition to that the GOJ spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year for drain cleaning, bushing and other task.

I am proposing that the GOJ cut this expenditure by using the services of those in prison to do all this draining cleaning in and around Jamaica as a means of putting “hard labour ” into the sentencing.

I am also proposing that those persons ( low and medium risk), be made to produce desk and chairs and other furniture for all Government schools around the country.

In addition I am proposing the the army corp of engineers be better utilized to build government runs schools and many of these prisoners be used to provide manual labour on some of these sites providing the risk of escape is minimal.

The army many of whom are not currently productive, should be utilized to  stand guard at these sites where prison labour is being employed and steps be taken to ensure that the risk of escape is next to zero.

I am also suggesting that Richmond Farm be expanded and very low risk prisoners are used to produce farm products to meet 1oo% needs of the prison population, with a provision to sell the excess products to the trade.

In addition to woodwork which I believe currently exist, the GOJ with private help should seek to have some of those mechanically inclined prisoners trained at the Heart Academy  in metal work, air conditioning and refrigeration as well as automotive technicians.

They would be transported to select heart facilities on specific days of the week and manned by army personnel and at the end of their training, be utilized to work on Government vehicles eg those for the police, JUTC and other government bodies.

The GOJ could establish  such facilities at specific sites to facilitate such a process, which could see the country saving millions of dollars, while providing these guys the skills they would need to survive once the leave prison.

The guys would for example be paid a stipend , which goes into an account being held on their behalf as payment for the work done.

These funds could on one hand provide some sort of compensation to the families who may have been the victim of a crime committed by this individual and the remainder remitted to them on leaving prison, which they could now use to start their own business if the choose to do so.

Our prison needs to do more to sustain itself vs depending on the tax payers of this country to provide 100% support and the above represents some smalls steps that could be taken in that direction.