Dear Editor,
As part of The Best Dressed Fun in the Son series of events, I visited our four prisons in the area: Spanish Town, Tamarind Farm, Fort Augusta, and Tower Street (General Penitentiary). I accompanied a team from the US headed by my son-in-law, Andrew Palau, who brought the message last Saturday evening at National Heroes Park.
Andrew has spoken in many, many countries across the world, and everywhere they go they seek an opportunity to visit prisons — for the promise that Jesus makes is relevant for those in prison as well as for us out of prison; that is, to freely exchange His sinless record before God for ours.
After my visits, which ended on Tuesday afternoon, I knew I had to write to the editor.
Our first stop on Monday morning was the Spanish Town prison. After knocking at the huge iron gate and announcing ourselves through a peephole, the doors were opened and we were met by a giant of an officer — smartly dressed and extremely polite — who ushered us over to the recording desk. I wish I had kept names, but we were not allowed to carry anything in with us. My first impression was of order and control.
As the other team members were being processed, I wandered over to talk to the giant superintendent and he shared with me that he had been there for close to 30 years! I said “What?!”
He replied, “Yes, Mr Levy, this has been my life’s work.”
I looked up into his face with so much respect and appreciation.
This kind of exchange was repeated many times at each institution we visited. Invariably, we met with hundreds of inmates, both male and female, in central areas of the prisons, all properly attired, and all the officers and guards so professional in their attire and control.
I mentioned above that my son-in-law has visited prisons all over the world and he commends us for the controls he saw in place, the attitudes and condition of the inmates, but most of all the professionalism and commitment displayed by the officers.
I realise that there is a great deal lacking in our prisons, as set out in the recent Independent Commission of Investigations report, and as shared with me by many of the officers, but I want to say to all the officers I met that you all made this Jamaican proud this week, and I thank you and respect your commitment and service to our country.
Robert Levy
rlevy@jabgl.com
As part of The Best Dressed Fun in the Son series of events, I visited our four prisons in the area: Spanish Town, Tamarind Farm, Fort Augusta, and Tower Street (General Penitentiary). I accompanied a team from the US headed by my son-in-law, Andrew Palau, who brought the message last Saturday evening at National Heroes Park.
Andrew has spoken in many, many countries across the world, and everywhere they go they seek an opportunity to visit prisons — for the promise that Jesus makes is relevant for those in prison as well as for us out of prison; that is, to freely exchange His sinless record before God for ours.
After my visits, which ended on Tuesday afternoon, I knew I had to write to the editor.
Our first stop on Monday morning was the Spanish Town prison. After knocking at the huge iron gate and announcing ourselves through a peephole, the doors were opened and we were met by a giant of an officer — smartly dressed and extremely polite — who ushered us over to the recording desk. I wish I had kept names, but we were not allowed to carry anything in with us. My first impression was of order and control.
As the other team members were being processed, I wandered over to talk to the giant superintendent and he shared with me that he had been there for close to 30 years! I said “What?!”
He replied, “Yes, Mr Levy, this has been my life’s work.”
I looked up into his face with so much respect and appreciation.
This kind of exchange was repeated many times at each institution we visited. Invariably, we met with hundreds of inmates, both male and female, in central areas of the prisons, all properly attired, and all the officers and guards so professional in their attire and control.
I mentioned above that my son-in-law has visited prisons all over the world and he commends us for the controls he saw in place, the attitudes and condition of the inmates, but most of all the professionalism and commitment displayed by the officers.
I realise that there is a great deal lacking in our prisons, as set out in the recent Independent Commission of Investigations report, and as shared with me by many of the officers, but I want to say to all the officers I met that you all made this Jamaican proud this week, and I thank you and respect your commitment and service to our country.
Robert Levy
rlevy@jabgl.com