AGAINST the backdrop of President David Granger’s pardoning two dozen prisoners convicted for non-violent crimes, Director of Prisons Welton Trotz yesterday told this publication that there has been no release yet.He explained that they are working out a programme whereby those prisoners, both males and females, will be smoothly re-integrated into society and which will also prepare them to be gainfully employed upon their release.

After they are released, Trotz said the programme will cater for follow-up checks to take place so as to review their progress.

He noted that the prisoners who will be released are those who were convicted for non-violent crimes, ranging from threatening language, common assault and possession of small quantities of marijuana (cannabis sativa) that is, under a gram.

“The release of the 60 prisoners will obviously ease the overcrowding of prisons generally, which will allow more manoeuvring of those incarcerated, so to speak,” Trotz commented.

He said with the release of the men and women between the ages of 18 to 25 years, society will ultimately benefit, since they will be skilled employees and will be able to make their contributions to the society.

A day before Guyana’s 49th Independence anniversary, President David Granger had announced that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Administration intends to, on an annual basis, grant ‘presidential pardons’ to prisoners who were sentenced for misdemeanours (non-violent crimes).

It was disclosed during a special interview at the Ministry of the Presidency with a section of the media, that President Granger’s coalition Government will pardon 60 convicts, between the ages of 18 to 25.

President Granger said, “I believe that young people should be in school, not in jail, and I have asked that emphasis be placed on young persons, and for petty non-violent offences, and sentences of short duration.

“Sometimes a man [may be] in jail for stealing a cell phone, go your way and sin no more…,” the President said, adding that the offences are “really petty,” and the offenders “pretty young.”

“I hope they get back in school, get work, and get on with their lives. They do not belong in jail. They belong in school, at home with their families, be happy,” President Granger said.

He explained that at first he particularly asked for pardons for especially female convicts, “but apparently the females have not been misbehaving at the same rate as the males.”

The President told the media that “it turns out that there is a small number of females too who had actually committed minor offences.”

Questioned about concerns that will be raised over why no reintegration programme for those who will be pardoned, President Granger said: “Most of them are young, most of them are misdemeanours, which are non-violent, and I do hope that we can re-integrate them by ensuring that we get them training programmes.” He noted however, “…the longer they stay in prison, the

By Michel Outridgemore difficult it would be to rehabilitate them.”