Inmates graduate

By Leonardo Blair, Staff Reporter

Commissioner of Corrections Lt. Colonel John Prescod (standing), chats with graduates who successfully completed the 2001 GCE O'Level programme at the St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre Chapel yesterday. Seated (from left) are inmates Newton McLeod, 31; Anthony Taylor, 28, and Dave Pinnock, 36. Other graduates were Anthony Williams, 28, and Malcolm Higginson, 27. - Ian Allen

THERE WAS jubilation at the St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre yesterday when scores of inmates, their families and prison officials, including Commissioner of Corrections Lt. Colonel John Prescod, gathered at the graduation exercise of five inmates to celebrate their successful completion of the first ever GCE O'Level programme to be offered in that prison.

Mothers and girlfriends dabbed tears from their eyes as they watched reformed sons and brothers step up to the podium like "accomplished gentlemen" to accept certificates for their efforts in Mathematics, English and Biology.

The inmates, all of whom have been incarcerated for extended periods are, Anthony Taylor, 28; Malcolm Higgin-son, 27; Anthony Williams, 28; Dave Pinnock, 36, and Newton McCleod, 31.

"I am extremely proud about it (passes) and I hope it can be an example in this institution," said Taylor who received a B each, for his efforts in English Language and Biology. Taylor, who is a father of three and serving a life sentence for murder, also sat the Mathematics exam but did not get a passing grade.

In accepting his certificate for his efforts at Biology, Pinnock said the graduating five could never have done it without the unconditional support of their mentors, Dr. George Leveridge, prison psychiatrist, social worker Jerine Singh and others.

"Well I'm not really much of a talker but what I'd like to say is this, all the people who have shown us trust and believed in us, to see the positive side in us that we never see for ourselves, and showing us the way that we can go forward in a positive light, that when we leave this place we do not have to revert to things that we use to do before we come here; things that harm others harm our friends and harm loved ones. This is a turning point for most of us where we have to decide which chart we want to take in life, which is better and which is worse," said Pinnock, who is also serving time for murder.

The celebration in the prison chapel had spiritual overtones with the converted ones, Rastarians and Christians alike, joining in praises to God.

At one point when a group of Christian inmates performed a contemporary christian reggae song, the audience rose from the chairs and Commissioner Prescod asked for an encore, it was then that the chapel rocked as the inmates celebrated in jubilant abandon.

"The prison is a powerhouse of men with a lot of skills and a lot of potential, one of the things that we've learnt in life is that when somebody loves you and you can trust them you can tell them anything and they will more than likely take instructions as directed by you and it was with that in mind that the class of 2001 started," said Dr. George Leveridge, the prison psychiatrist who facilitated the programme.

"It was really a brainchild of Newton McLeod," said Dave Pinnock, "we wanted to learn and the group of us decide to make a proposal to Dr. Leveridge and he facilitated the programme and it eventually reach this stage," he added. According to Dr. Leveridge, the O'Level programme started with 35 inmates but after screening tests they were left with only eight. The five graduates sat the exams.

Last year, says Dr. Leveridge, subjects they offered were English, Maths and Biology. They had started with Physics and computer training as well but they had to abort these programmes as a result of difficulties. "Initially we had a lot of lumps and bumps in the road a lot of hindrances, but the programme must go on," said Dr. Leveridge.

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