EMPLOYMENT should be one of the strongest pathways to reduce the risk of former inmates returning to crime, says President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu.
Speaking at the launch of the Fiji Corrections Service ‘Behind the Walls’ art exhibition, Ratu Naiqama said people leaving prison needed more than freedom — they needed skills and opportunities to support themselves and their families.
“Employment is one of the strongest bridges from custody to stability,” he said.
The exhibition generated $6760 in art and woodwork sales, with 60 per cent of the proceeds going to inmates and 40 per cent to the Fiji Corrections Service.
Ratu Naiqama said employment not only provided former inmates with income, but also gave them a chance to build a better life.
He said creating paintings and carvings required patience, concentration and self-control — skills that could help inmates rebuild their lives after release.
“These are not mere artistic disciplines. They are disciplines for life,” he said.
Reflecting on his own journey from incarceration back into the workforce and public life, Ratu Naiqama said his experience demonstrated what could be achieved when people were given an opportunity to start again.
“When I was sent to prison and came out, I re-entered the work front again,” he said.
