The Yellow Ribbon Project by the Fiji Corrections Service has outlived its use for ordinary prisoners, says former journalist Josefa Nata.
During an interview with The Fiji Times online news portal The Lens@177, Mr Nata said the campaign launched in 2008 has been “long dead”.
“Everybody’s talking about the Yellow Ribbon. I think I can say with confidence and without fear of being contradicted that I was deeply involved with the yellow ribbon,” he said.
“We did strategical planning for the campaign and awareness.
“If that is considered as a humble contribution to life in prison, I think I am comfortable with that and I think it contributed to the nation as well.
“It’s a good program, but they need to change it.”
He said there was room for improvement for the project to fully serve its purpose for former inmates being integrated back into society.
“I think the reasonable objective of the Yellow Ribbon has sort of been sidelined.
“I remember I told Mr Vasu (former Corrections Commissioner Ifereimi Vasu), that the Yellow Ribbon was dead as far as the prisoners are concerned.
“It is now merely a budgetary head to get funding.
“It’s served its purpose and I think we should come up with something else.
“And I have some ideas. I have some thoughts on how it could be used and in time I can talk to the current prison management.”
He emphasised the importance of family support and understanding in the rehabilitation process.
“Prison is never a good place. I found myself in prison.
“I can say without any doubt that I’m clearer now about what I want to do.
“But it depends on the maturity level of the person because prison can be a place where you can take stock, reflect, contemplate, and move forward.”
