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Incarcerated VIslanders deserve 2nd or 3rd chances, says Skelton

says Government should lead by example in offering employment
May 16th, 2012 | Tags: Hon. Ronnie W. Skelton incarcerated
Hon. Ronnie W. Skelton Minister of Health and Social Development says the government has to lead by example for corporate VI by hiring youths who have served prison time.
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – It is the Government’s job to decrease the unemployment rate and employ the people of the Virgin Islanders by way of also employing Virgin Islanders who were incarcerated, giving them a “second or third chance” in society.

Speaking on NDP Radio talk show on May 8, 2012, Minister for Health and Social Development Hon. Ronnie Skelton, was at the time speaking of the unemployed young people in the Territory who were contacted and offered jobs, and included youths who were recently incarcerated.

“It’s good to give people second chances …When people are incarcerated for many reasons, I believe that after someone has served their time and paid their just to society, if we [Government] don’t attempt to give them a second or third chance we will just be creating a very uncomfortable post in society and we can’t continue to allow this to happen,” the Minister for Health stated.

He said government has to lead by example for the other establishments in the Virgin Islands, both public and private, to follow.

“I once heard about this young guy, who went into prison and after doing his time, he got back his job in the government system.”

The Minister stated that this is a sign of maturity, and added that it is the people of the VI’s prerogative to understand that young people will make mistakes and it is society’s job to assist them in getting on the right track, “on a track that is productive”.

11 Responses to “Incarcerated VIslanders deserve 2nd or 3rd chances, says Skelton”

  • home boy (16/05/2012, 08:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    yea dem talking dat now because it hit home...
    • Hogwash (16/05/2012, 09:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Do you remember Mr. Skelton at Electricity? Do you recall him hiring many guys who went to prison? Please, you talking hogwash.
    • JA (17/05/2012, 06:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Stop talking nonsense. The majority of the BVI belongers getting in trouble are not Skeltons. Don't forget that the Skeltons have enough businesses to hire the few Skeltons that are in trouble, so Hon. Skelton is not thinking selfishly. That is the kind of person he is. At Electricity was he in charge of HR? Do you think that the head of large corporations are always involved in hiring and firing?. I can tell you that Hon Skelton when he was in Electricity did ensure that some people who would have never got a chance were hired. Here again, we are just soooo negative with everything that we are either dumb or cannot think straight. I agree with Hon. Skelton. Those young men that belong to the BVI have no where to go, so are we going to cast them aside and not give them chances just because they may have gotten in trouble. Then we will have some serious sorry days ahead of us, because survive they must and survive they will. Take for example, the Port do not hire BVI belongers with records, but they higher people from other countries with criminal records. We know what our boys may have done, but what do we know for certain about those coming to our shores and who we are hiring. People can get whatever types of police record they want especially if they were involved in crimes and wishing to move on. We are seeing a lot of people who commit crimes in other countries then they are deported to their home country where they did not commit a crime so they get a clean police record from home and come to the BVI like they are saints. We only do compliance on BVI belongers only, but we need to step it up. It is our obligation to exhause every avenue in order to help our young men who continue to get in trouble. I went to St Thomas to a luncheon last Sunday, and a young man gave a very touching speech. His mentor is a Miss Ritter who is a teacher, and that young man said that he did not "care" and always got in trouble, but Miss Ritter never gave up on him. His troubles got so bad that he was sent away to a juvenile detention centre, and Miss Ritter still did not give up on him. While he was at the centre, Miss Ritter could have easily forgotten about him, but she did not, and she send him his necessary items and checked to see how he was doing on a regular basis. He returned to St Thomas and got back in school and still continued to get in trouble, and Miss Ritter continued to show that young man that there are people who care. This young man realise that Miss Ritter care, because she did not have to do what she was doing, so he turned his life around. He is a very good athlete, and will be graduating from high school this year and going to college on a foot ball scholarship. His story was so touching, because he said that Miss Ritter taught him to care because she showed him that there are people who care and will stick by him no matter what. I say all that to say, that we have the same situation here, and we need to give people chances and show them that there are those of us who care.
      • paid (17/05/2012, 18:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        one thing with the NDP paid bloggers they come back at you as they have taken over VINO
  • jog (16/05/2012, 09:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I wonder when them bring in this parole board.
  • Chad (16/05/2012, 10:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    ha ha yes when he return from the states he deserved a second chance
  • critic (16/05/2012, 10:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    only because the skelton them start getting in trouble now
  • It hits home now! (16/05/2012, 15:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Skelton go sit down with your nonsense!. If they want a second chance they better go to the Lord and repent!
  • yellow (16/05/2012, 15:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    what about the people your party move once you got in office??? do you not think they deserved another chance eg ray george???


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