The Chairlady  for the Miss Hibiscus Contestant Committee Ms Renata Ram has given the Fiji Prisons and Corrections Services the thumbs up.

Relating her experiences of this year’s Hibiscus Festival, Ms Ram said that the visit to the Suva Women’s Prison was the most influence visit she has experienced in all her years as a Hibiscus committee member.

“The visit was a very influence one for the queen’s.

“I have been on the committee for three years and by far the visit to the Suva Women’s Prison was the most influential.

“We hope to bring next year’s contestants to the Suva Women’s Prison as well,” Ms Ram said.

The 20 Vodafone Miss Hibiscus Festival 2009 contestants visited the FPCS Suva Women’s Programmes as part of their programmes on Wednesday August 26 and after their visit all the queens wore a yellow ribbon on their sash.

The impact of their visit was so influential that Fiji Sun senior reporter Ms Sera Janine Nagusuca commented on how confident and well versed the queens were on the Yellow Ribbon Project.

“By the middle of the week it had become evident that the Hibiscus contestants were supporting the YRP.

“I was at Hibiscus festival public judging and there was something I noticed with some of the contestants.

“They have become well-versed with the Yellow Ribbon Project (YRP) and most of them have changed their opinion on offenders since their visit to the women's prison.

The YRP is geared to inspire community action to support the rehabilitation and integration of ex-offenders back into society.

Ms Renata Ram relating her experience with Yellow
Ribbon Project During the Vodafone Hibiscus Festival
www.corrections.org.fj