Remarking on the escalating rate of crime, Prisons Commissioner John Rougier said the Anthony Pantin Reintegration Centre could not have come at a better time.

“This is just the type of support the Prison Service needs and yearns for at this most critical juncture,” he stated at the launch of the centre held on February 1 at the Movie Towne Cineplex, Invaders Bay, Port of Spain.

Rougier said it was particularly admirable that the project was initiated by the Catholic Church, which did not even form part of the penal system. “However, thankfully, you have valiantly risen to the task at hand and assumed your place as a partner in the fight against crime. And whether you are aware or not, you have commendably answered the call of the ‘Shared Responsibility Model’.

“The Prison Service thanks you and looks forward to a continued relationship, and as Commissioner of the Prison Service, on behalf of the Prison Service I make my commitment and dedicate myself to the support of this organisation.”

The idea of the centre was conceived at the 2003 Catholic Synod. Its aim is “to return to society productive, law-abiding citizens who are willing to serve family, community and country”. It will also work to “develop, initiate and sustain” rehabilitation programmes in the nation’s prisons.

The centre, which will have as its motto “None Shall Be Lost”, is currently under construction at San Rafael. It will house 40 ex-offenders, who will be exposed to rehabilitative programmes in which counselling will feature prominently.

The former prisoners will be assigned responsibilities at the centre, such as gardening, cooking, cleaning and other chores, intended to aid them on their return to society. They will also be exposed to sports and cultural activities.

The launch of the centre was held under the patronage of President George Maxwell Richards. In addition to Rougier, the speakers were Archbishop Edward Gilbert, Madame Justice Monica Barnes, Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds, Nigel Baptiste, Executive Director of Republic Bank, Kevin Wallen, international motivational speaker, Fr Matthew d’Hereaux, Chief Executive Officer of the Anthony Pantin Reintegration Centre, and Holy Faith Sister Mary Anthony, member of the Catholic Prison Ministry.

Sr Mary spoke on behalf of the ex-offenders, saying that everyone deserved a second chance.

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Sr Mary Anthony

“I can only ask and plead…if we so much as think ‘shoot them’, we have already done exactly that – we cannot think like that. That is not the answer: the answer is to walk with them to pull them through their darkest hour. For many of them, their lives have been utter darkness and helplessness and loveless lives,” Sr Mary said.

However, she made it clear that prisoners would be screened before being allowed to enter the Reintegration Centre.

In a short but passionate address, Fr Matthew was emphatic that the centre would come into successful fruition, no matter the obstacles.

Fr Matthew said: “‘Impossible, impossible, impossible’ was the reaction to the idea of establishing the Anthony Pantin Reintegration Centre. Belted out at every turn by so many people, these words formed an orchestra that would only grow louder and louder as time went on.

Ironically, beneath this prolonged doubt was support for the idea…This thinking reflected the sad reality that although an endeavour may be good, beneficial, worthwhile, because it is perceived to be impossible, there is a tendency to discredit.

“It is on this front that we have fought – and will continue to fight. Impossible cannot be an obstacle between us and what is good, worthwhile and beneficial to human society. Visionaries have no time for impossibility.”

Helping to make the centre a reality is Republic Bank, whose Executive Director told the gathering: “We share the Catholic Commission for Social Justice’s vision that it will make a positive difference in the lives of those embraced by it. You have embraced what it means to care and that is key, that we don’t ignore those who need help, for in doing so we would have failed them, and once we have failed them, we would have failed us.”

Baptiste also spoke of collective responsibility: “The onus rests on our collective shoulders to re-knit the society’s moral fabric.”

He described the Walk Tall programme already being conducted by the Church inside the prisons as “a beacon of hope to help the lost”.

“This programme gives second chances – a critical foothold on the mountain that is rehabilitation,” he remarked. Wallen, who was the feature speaker at the launch, underscored the importance of offering support to others.

Growing up in Jamaica without his mother, Wallen said he saw how easy it was for young people to get “caught up in crime”. He revealed that it was only at the insistence of the principal and teachers at a school in Canada where he taught wrestling that he went to college and subsequently earned a degree.

“Every step of the way, when I felt like just doing nothing and throwing in the towel, somebody was there to pull me along,” Wallen said. Now, he added, it gave him tremendous joy to be able to assist prisoners in his homeland of Jamaica.

Wallen made a stirring plea for love to be used as the weapon in the fight against crime, and shared his philosophy: “I will greet this day with love in my heart, for love is the greatest secret of success in all our ventures. Only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men, and until I master this art I will remain but a peddler in the marketplace. I will make love my greatest weapon. None on whom I call can defend against its force.”

A vote of thanks was given by Madame Justice Barnes to officially end the ceremony.