BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – “CULTURE alone don’t make you, you have to be well-rounded” are the words that were left on the minds of the children attending the Fife, Banjo, Quatro and Guitar Workshop, as this was the foundation upon which Franklin ‘Weatherman’ Dorsette, Superintendent at the Her Majesty’s Prison spoke to them.
Weatherman spoke to the children today (Aug. 18) about prison, life, culture and the importance of being respectful to themselves as well as others.
He took the students on a trip down memory lane where he spoke of his upbringing, from being arrested and being on the road to destruction to moving onto the right path to become the man he is today.
He told the tale of being a part of the wrong crowd, being disobedient, and always getting into trouble to the point where he had to appear in court.
He spoke about moving away from that life to taking the Police Examination and passing. He also spoke about being given a chance as he was almost turned down when the time came to recruit Police Officers.
He then spoke to the students about life in prison and explained that “it is not pretty”. He encouraged them to stay away from the lawbreakers, and not to get caught up in bad company to be persuaded to do wrong.
“You cannot be in the bad group, tell yourself ‘I want to be something good’,” he appealed.
He continued, “People will always put a stumbling block in your way, but just be positive and do the things that are right in the sight of God because there are better things out there in life.”
Speaking directly to the young ladies in attendance, he pleaded with them to “let men know their place” when approached by them as some would not approach with good intentions.
After the lecture, the Superintendent spoke to some of the students individually, encouraging them to do well, and keep a strong mind so that they would not fall victim to peer pressure.
The Superintendent told SKNVibes that he was very happy for the opportunity to speak to the students simply because of the kind of life he had.
He said that he was pleased to share some of the things that he went through because in the end he turned out good and he hopes that the children realise that they can do the same.
“I hope that they take it in good faith, I hope that my words did not fall on deaf ears,” he said.
Zack explained that one of the reasons for inviting the Superintendent to speak to the students is because after a few days he realised that, even though they are young, they could be heading down the wrong path and may not even know it.
He said, “Youths are going down the wrong road. As simple as they look, they are involved in drugs and crime. I do not want that to be the case when it comes to my students. He [Weatherman] could see through them, and he can convince them not to get involved.
He knows what that life looks like and he can help these children to realise when they are about to go down that road and when to turn away.”
“This is more than just a workshop; it is an opportunity to learn from dignified people in society. Yes they are taught how to play the different instruments but at the same time they are being taught discipline, manners, and how to respect themselves and others. Why? Because I would really like to see them develop into genuine young men and women and do something good,” Zack said.
