3 Opposition Parties to Uphold Yellow Ribbon, APP Says You Do The Crime, You Do the Time
Political Parties contesting the 2022 General Elections have shared their views on the Yellow Ribbon programme and their plans for inmate’s rehabilitation should their parties form government.
The Yellow Ribbon Project is based on a model that was developed in Singapore and was launched in Fiji on October 12, 2008.
The objectives of the Yellow Ribbon Project are to raise awareness of the need to give second chances to ex-offenders and their families and generate acceptance of exoffenders and their families in the community.
It is also to inspire community Action to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-offenders back into society.
The People’s Alliance
The People’s Alliance deputy leader, Manoa Kamikamica, said if elected, it did not have any intention to remove the Yellow Ribbon initiative.
“Our concern is relooking into the rehabilitation processes, obviously yellow ribbon is part of it. It’s the very important aspect of rehabilitation, we wanted to ensure that we give those that have been convicted an opportunity to reenter society and the workforce,” he said.
“Whether we call it yellow ribbon or rehabilitation or whatever it has a very critical role to play in our country.”
Social Democratic Liberal Party
general secretary, Lenaitasi
Duru, said they would continue with the initiative and improve on it.
“Prisoners will be able to further their studies under the free education that will be provided by the SODELPA government. Those that want to attend the matua programme will be encouraged to do so.”
New Generation Party
New Generation Party acting party leader, Varinava Tiko, said the Yellow Ribbon project was a good initiative and his party would continuously review it if it forms government.
“Reason being is that now a lot of kids prefer to go to prison just because they have missed school, they cannot get the required marks to pass in secondary school and they cannot pay for their tertiary tuition and one way the youths can get a certificate is through the Yellow Ribbon programme,” he said.
“A prisoner is a prisoner, the more we provide comfort in prison the more we attract youths into prison because life outside is hard.
“Look at the demographics of this data, the ethnic aspect of it and why not do programmes in villages, rural areas or even the cities and informal settlements to discourage youths from going into prison to achieve the same certificate.”
All People’s Party
However, All People’s Party leader, Tuiloma Tawaivuna, has strongly aired his disagreement with the programme.
“The first time I heard about Yellow Ribbon, I honestly did not agree with it because what’s the use of dishing out a particular sentence for a crime committed when the Government allows prisoners to come out of prison early and do community activities?” he questioned.
“You do crime, you do the time. “For me, it really defeats the purpose of sending someone inside, it’s better not to sentence the person rather than sending the person inside and later release the prisoner early.
“To be fair and on justice and righteousness, I think the prisoner deserves the full term of the crime the prisoner committed in prison.”
Meanwhile, responses from the remaining political parties had not been received when this edition went to press on Friday night.
You do crime, you do the time. For me, it really defeats the purpose of sending someone inside, it’s better not to sentence the person rather than sending the person inside and later release the prisoner early. To be fair and on justice and righteousness, I think the prisoner deserves the full term of the crime the prisoner committed in prison.
Tuiloma Tawaivuna All People’s Party leader