THE Rehabilitation, Regeneration and Reintegration (RRR) unit of the Correctional Service of Solomon Islands (CSSI) hosted a Christmas carol to mark the festive season at the Rove Central Correctional Centre (RCCC) on Thursday 23rd December.
Just imagine waking up on Christmas day in a small room with a steel toilet in the corner instead of a Christmas tree. The walls are cold and empty, you’re away from your friends and family and you’re sharing your room with someone you might not know very well. That is the reality faced by the inmates at RCCC and other Correctional Centres across the country.
However, with the support of the RRR unit, there is hope for anyone facing a spell behind bars this Christmas, and of course, all other time of the year.
According to Catherine Kere, the Acting (Ag) Assistant Commissioner RRR, all that the inmates have are their cellmates. Some may arrive on Christmas eve without having a clue who they will be sharing a cell with. They will have to come to terms with the fact that they are in there. Prison is a tough place to be, and days like Christmas make it even harder.
In addition to that, the Ag AC RRR mentioned that, regardless of whatever life throws at them; Jesus loves them and was born purposely for them. The experience encountered is further enlarged when they do not have their families with them. It’s very different inside, hence, the message never changes, and Christmas is celebrated by vast majority of people.
“There’s not a lot they can do in the Centres. Just because of who they are, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate the birth of Christ with them. They may or may not deserve to be in there, but at the end of the day, they are human beings just like all of us” Kere said
Commandant RCCC, Bernice Wasia acknowledged the Office of the Commissioner for permitting the RRR Staff to facilitate the Christmas carol for the inmates.
SOURCE: CSSI Media Release
