To ensure that communities in the Northern Division are engaged with the successful reintegration of ex-offenders back into society the Fiji Prisons and Correctional Services and with other relevant stakeholders are preparing to embark on a one week tour, staring on Monday July 20.

The primary purposes of the tour are to see first hand the progress of identified ex-prisoners registered under the Prison Case Management System and to meet and discuss with other relevant stakeholders their roles and contribution in the rehabilitation of prisoners and ex-prisoners under the Yellow Ribbon Project.

Commissioner of Prisons and Correctional Services Brigadier General Ioane Naivalurua said the Northern road show is part of the Fiji Prisons and Correctional Service efforts to engage society in a participatory matter so that the rehabilitation process becomes a community based initiative.

“The Yellow Ribbon is the flagship for a nation aware that there is community action to assist in reducing prison population, redirecting offenders away from the vicious cycle of crime and making society safe.”

During the Commissioner’s tour of the Northern Division, his entourage will get to visit and review 52 ex-prisoners from the provinces of Macuata, Bua and Cakaudrove.

For logistics reasons all ex-offenders registered under the Case Management Programme in each province will converge at designated locations for discussions with the Commissioner’s team.

To ensure that the ex-offenders on the Case Management Programme are provided with relevant information on assistance available to them, representatives from the Social Welfare, Agriculture, Fijian Affairs Board, Youth, Regional Development, Provincial Council will form part of the entourage.

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