Serua, Namosi Pen Way Forward for Yellow Ribbon Project

Participants from Serua and Namosi provinces, were yesterday enlightened following the launching of the Yellow Ribbon Project by the Fiji Corrections Service (FCS).

More than 150 participants took part in the workshop held at the Pearl Resort in Pacific Harbour. In a statistic presented by the FCS during the launch, it stated that there are 93 inmates from Namosi and 86 inmates from Serua provinces.

This was a data comparison between Serua and Namosi in the five-year period (2013-2017).

Over the five years there were 14 from Serua in 2013, 17 in 2014, 19 in 2015 and 2016 respectively and 17 so far this year. For Namosi in the same period recorded 15 in 2013, 14 in 2014, 18 in 2015 and 2016 respectively and 28 so far this

year. Rise in crime rate in the province of Namosi was a concerned to the village headman from Namosi who attended the launch.

Roveroto Rocagidaveta, the village headman from Narukunibua Village in Namosi, said he would want to have a forum with other village headman from other districts in Namosi to discuss the trend.

Mr Rocagidaveta said an individual living in a community played a pivotal role in the whole society.

“We need to work together on what could be done to prisoners when they return to their community. They need to be loved and be given the second chance,” Mr Rocagidaveta said.

He said many who came out from prison were being looked down at and not cared for by the community; even by their families and relatives.

“If we accept them they will then become productive members of society,” he said.

Offences committed include aggravated robbery, assault, breaching of DVRO, burglary and theft, defilement, indecent assault, murder and rape. Participants presented on the way forward from their part and FCS to assist inmates and ex-offenders from the two provinces.