Prison authorities are giving inmates new options for rehabilitation and skills training with the revival and expansion of the prison farm on Grand Turk.
The project involves the planting of food crops for which the lands have already been cleared, ploughed and planted; rearing of chickens, goats and pigs; and classroom training in animal husbandry and horticulture. Additional benefits of the project will be education to the community of what can be grown on Grand Turk.
Ms. Barbara Higgs, Under Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Public Safety, said the Ministry is delighted to be supporting this initiative. Reintroducing this farm is offering rehabilitative and job training skills to inmates whilst further exemplifying the principles of food security such as inmates feeding themselves.
Inmates growing food for themselves nourishes responsibility and rehabilitation, and they receive skills that are appropriate to the environment they will be returning to. Prisoners can start to produce wholesome food, earn their keep, learn skills and improve work habits – all of which help them to stay out of prison in the future – an initiative worth supporting.”
The Prison has received support from the Ministry of Finance and from OTIS construction which provided machinery to help clear the lands.
