BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WITH the conclusion of a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) sponsored pottery and ceramics workshop, 15 inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) have become fledgling artists.
The nine-week course culminated in a ceremony on Friday (Nov. 20) at Independence Square in which the prisoners proudly exhibited their new talents to the public. In addition to the display of ceramic and glazed items, the participants held a brief concert showcasing their original song and poetry.
Speaking to SKNVibes, CDB Consultant and pottery expert Adam Azaire candidly expressed his pride at the work of the inmates.
“I want to congratulate the inmates on their creative and ambitious attitude to the course, their level of discipline and the amount of work and effort they put in. I’ve done this in other prisons, but I must say the HMP inmates are of a very high quality.”
He added: “I am impressed with their creativity and artistic ability... for nine weeks, the products are of a very high level. With some of the countries I go to, this would take over a year to achieve. So I must commend them.”
Programme Facilitator Sandra Weekes informed that the prisoners had been chosen so that “they would know they hadn’t been forgotten”. She said the next step would be for them to use their newfound skills to generate employment opportunities.
“We’re trying to make them ready for life after prison. In fact, we’re looking at carrying on a production line of their artwork. Because the prisoners have so much time, we thought they should use it for something productive. It’s an educational investment,” she revealed.
At the end of the ceremony, each inmate received a certificate of participation from representatives of the Ministry of National Security. Their displayed goods were then made available for purchase.
