The department of prison’s 2020 budget, amounting to R84,990,000, was yesterday approved by the National Assembly.

Superintendent of Prison Raymond St Ange was present before the assembly yesterday afternoon, along with other officials from the prison service to provide more details on the budget allocation.

A R8.8 million reduction in the allocated budget was highlighted and attributed to the removal of R7.8 million as part of the service agreement between the Seychelles Prison Service and the Islands Development Company (IDC)allowing inmates on the rehabilitation programme to contribute to development on the outer islands. Named ‘Project Phoenix’, the programme will allow up to 100 inmates from the Montagne Posée prison to be assigned on outer islands. The R7.8 million was allocated toward the Montagne Posée prison master plan and used to upgrade the existing facilities of the prison.

A further R1 million reduction in the budget allocated towards rehabilitation and reintegration programme was pointed out, although Mr St Ange noted that rehabilitation is still an important component for inmates, and noting that enormous work is being done in collaboration with other entities to rehabilitate offenders. He added that they are looking into mentorship programmes as well.

With continuous improvements in mind, the department of prisons has confirmed that it will shortly be deploying a mobile telephone detection system which can as well be used to detect other metal contraband items.

Using the latest technology which is not hazardous to humans or animals, the mobile telephone detector once installed will be able to detect any mobile telephone regardless if it is powered on or not. Being moveable the security equipment will first be tested at the search room to the Montagne Posée Prison before being moved to other facilities. If found to be effective the system will be expanded to other units within the prison system.

Training on how to manage and collect intelligence within a prison setting is now underway with a number of selected prison staff participating.

The training, which started on Monday and will go on for the whole week, is being delivered by Benjamin Lawelin from the UNODC.

To open the training the Superintendent of Seychelles Prison, Raymond St. Ange, welcomed the continued engagement of the UNODC and thanked the officers for their interest and contributions to date so as to see a better prison service.

The UNODC and the Seychelles Prison Service have a long history of cooperation and support on many levels.

“Earlier in the year we submitted our training plan which identified several areas of need. Gathering intelligence in a prison setting was an area deemed quite important for obvious reasons. The INTEL training being delivered this week will certainly compliment and support other training and operational approaches that we are undertaking, all with the aim of improving security in general,” Chief Inspector Sam Dodin, Information Officer and Head of Supply & Logistics, from the Seychelles Prison Service said.

Training for the remainder of 2019 will continue to cover weapons safety and safe use as well as First Aid and CPR, to name but a few.

A first in a series of planned meetings with members of the National Assembly and key districts was held on Friday October 25, 2019 at the Montagne Posée Prison.

This first meeting, which was attended by Phillip Arissol, elected member of the National Assembly of Anse Boileau, along with district administrators from Anse Boileau, Au Cap, Anse Aux Pins, Pointe Larue and Anse Royale, provided an opportunity for the prison authority to brief them on prison statistics, incidents as well as project updates.

They were taken on a tour of the facility which took in the renovated kitchen and dining hall, and within the male prison block, one residential section currently being renovated and upgraded.

It is the plan of the prison service to renovate all residential inmate blocks with improved ventilation and lights. The renovations also include repairing damaged toilets, plumbing and showers. A long awaited laundry facility will address further sanitary issues, once completed and commissioned.

Inspector Wilfred Radegonde of the department of prisons, and currently the officer in charge at the Montagne Posée Prison’s main male block, has been selected to follow a month-long certificate course being offered by the Malaysian Technical Training Programme.

The certificate’s course on ‘Human Development Plan on Inmates’ will be held at the Correctional Academy of Malaysia Langakwi, from September 1-28.

Among its objectives, according to the course brochure, the training aims:

● to expose delegates to the rehabilitation programme in Malaysian prisons so they can practice in their countries,

• to allow delegates to share knowledge and experience on rehabilitation programmes in their countries,

● to provide a holistic and diverse views on the different approaches in rehabilitating offenders,

● to discuss the contemporary issues on rehabilitation among participating countries.

The embassy of the United States of America has announced the selection of Elsa Nourrice, the principal probation officer and head of the prison rehabilitation service, for an International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) on ‘U.S. Penal System and Reform’ (African Regional Program).

She is among the 17 selected candidates for this three-week program of workshops, meetings, and networking events.

In the U.S. Ms Nourrice will develop her expertise and make new connections.

The program will take place in five cities, namely Washington DC, Sante Fe (New Mexico), and Miami (Florida) from August 19 to September 6, 2019.

Ms Nourrice has become the face of the Seychelles prison service for rehabilitation and communicates to the public the various programs taking place in the prison.