Naitasiri People Urged To Accept Former Inmates Into Community

The number of prisoners from Naitasiri incarcerated at the Fiji Corrections Ser­vice has decreased over the years.

Fiji Corrections Service director rehabilitation, Waisale Soqonaka­lou revealed this during the Naita­siri Provincial Council meeting at Kalabu Village on Friday.

He said there were 86 people from Naitasiri who are currently incar­cerated.

He reminded those present at the meeting to accept their children back into the community when they are released.

“Our humble request to you all today is to help us in the reintegra­tion of those who will be released back into your care,” Mr Soqo­nakalou said.

He said the former inmates did not fall from the sky and into pris­on, they came from a village, they have a church and a community.

“Some have not been to their vil­lage over generations but are list­ed in the VKB (Vola ni Kawa Bula) as children of Naitasiri.”

He said Naitasiri had the biggest resource in Land, so these were some of the areas they would like to work with the Provincial coun­cil to set up an environment that would reduce the rate of recidi­vism.

“It is our plea to you, to take own­ership of your children who have made wrong decisions in their lives. This contributes to the big­ger security picture of our com­munity and nation if they do not re-offend.

“Former inmates only re-offend when they cannot find an­other means of survival or are not accepted back into their families or communities so this is where the Vanua should step in.”

Sauturaga Waisea Sewabu said what was presented to them would be taken into consideration.

“Most of the time when those that were incarcerated are released we tend to push them away and this is the time they need us the most,” Mr Sewabu said.

“We are told that the numbers of those from our province who are incarcerated have decreased over the years and this shows that the counselling parents are doing to their children is working.

“Everything starts from home and parents will never want their children to follow the wrong path. My advice for our children is to lis­ten to their parents because they want what is best for them”.

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