Digicel donated five computers to the Guyana Prison Service in support of a Rotary Club of Demerara literacy and numeracy programme for prisoners.
According to a press release the Rotary programme aims at improving prisoners’ education ability in order to boost their chances of securing and retaining employment on release. The systems will be installed at the five prison locations countrywide.
At a brief handing over exercise Digicel Network Manager Ryan Sinclair said the donation is a demonstration of the company’s commitment to ensuring that everyone is equipped with basic technological skills. He encouraged the prisoners to take advantage of this and other reform programmes.
Meanwhile, Director of Prisons Dale Erskine extended gratitude to Digicel and the Club. He said “these computers are a significant contribution to the ongoing reformation efforts at the prisons…” Erskine added that the reformation of inmates is at the core of the prisons’ agenda. He said while the prisons are built to keep offenders away from society for a time it’s also focused on released persons who are better able to reintegrate to society and make a meaningful contribution.
Meanwhile Rotarian Lance Hinds thanked Digicel for its contribution to the Club’s programme. He also outlined specific activities the Club has planned for it including providing a stipend to attract and retain competent and qualified facilitators/volunteers to execute the programmes which are six-months long; to provide teaching aids to enhance the learning environment and to provide one computer to each of the five prison locations in order to develop and encourage computer literacy in deserving inmates.
