Written by CMC From Wired Online News

Bahamas Parole committee visiting two Caribbean countries

NASSAU, Bahamas, Aug 10, CMC – Officials from the recently formed Parole and Probation Steering Committee have left here for visits to Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica as part of the consultative process towards the establishment of a Parole and Probation System in The Bahamas.
The Steering Committee has been tasked with proposing a policy framework for a parole system and interventions for the seamless reintegration of past offenders into Bahamian society.
The Parole and Probation Steering Committee is chaired by Paul Farquharson, former Bahamas High Commissioner to London and Commissioner of Police. Retired Anglican Archbishop, His Grace, the Most Reverend Drexel Gomez also serves as Co-Deputy Chairman of the Steering Committee.
The team to Jamaica includes attorney Wayne Munroe, Q.C. and Assistant Superintendent of Police, Dr. Dave Burrows, while the delegation to Port of Spain includes the Co-Deputy Chairman of the Parole and Probation Committee Dr. Patrick Paul.
The visits to the two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries follow earlier visits to Canada and the United States.
Farquharson said the visits provide local experts with the opportunity to review systems in the developed and developing countries with a view to presenting a system that is designed specifically for The Bahamas.
“While we will visit other jurisdictions to get a first-hand view of what they are doing, our process will not be to take what they are doing wholesale and apply them to The Bahamas.
“We will ensure that whatever recommendations we make to the Government of The Bahamas with regards to the system that is put in place will reflect The Bahamas and is the best system for The Bahamas,” Farquharson added.
A government statement said that the appointment of the Steering Committee is part of the Perry Christie government’s overarching strategy to address the challenges of crime and criminality and recidivism in the Bahamas through the introduction of the Citizens Security and Justice Programme that was launched on May 9, this year.
“Under the present system, inmates are currently being released without any conditions or supervision,” Farquharson said, adding “this implementation of a Parole and Probation System will ensure that former inmates – when released, and many of them will be released eventually – are released under supervision and with conditions.
“People are already released early. This is meant to supervise them once they are released. The implementation of this system will be a significant upgrade to what we currently have. Everything we will propose to the Government of The Bahamas is going to strengthen what presently exists,” Farquharson added.
For more on this story go to: http://www.wiredja.com/news/justice/item/3387-bahamas-parole-committee-visiting-two-caribbean-countries