November 3rd 2022

Bordelais introduces rehabilitative programmes

by Department of Home Affairs

CHESS, APICULTURE AND FOOTBALL ARE AMONG ACTIVITIES ORGANIZED BY THE INSTITUTION.

The Bordelais Correctional Facility has introduced a range of inmate rehabilitative programmes to the establishment.

Chess was recently introduced by the St. Lucia Chess Federation. The second Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners took place last month. The Bordelais Correctional Facility participated for the first time, registering one team. The first round of competition took place on Oct. 13. Bordelais’ team competed against inmates from Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Uruguay and Trinidad and Tobago. Team Bordelais placed third in Group 7 of the Intercontinental Online Prison Chess Championship. However, the team did not advance to the semi-finals.

The goal of the Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners is to popularize chess as an efficient tool for reintegration of inmates into society. The governing body of the Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners is the International Chess Federation.

Meanwhile, seven female inmates completed a bee keeping workshop at the facility. The workshop and apiculture project is funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations through the Government of Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Export St. Lucia. The workshop was facilitated by the President of the Iyanola Apiculture Collective in collaboration with the Association of Caribbean Beekeepers Organization. The intent of the workshop was to build the capacity of inmates and to introduce apiculture to the facility as a potential rehabilitation project.

The workshop was held under the theme, “Empowering Women in Food Systems and Strengthening the Local Capacity and Resilience of Small Island Developing States within the Agri - Food Sector”. Overall, it is hoped that this intervention will result in not only an increased capacity for inmates in honey production, but also set the stage for exploring the possibilities of entering the regional apiculture industry.

Additionally, an inter-unit football tournament is being organized for the inmates. The various residential units will be divided in two zones, Zone 1 and Zone 2. Teams in Zone 1 will be playing teams in Zone 2. The much-anticipated football extravaganza by the inmates is expected to commence early this month. The Bordelais Correctional Facility is in the process of securing sponsorship for this activity.

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