Prison week continues with talent show

Talent shows are a common feature on the Belizean event calendar, but this afternoon News Five’s Jacqueline Godwin headed to Hattieville for a very special event.

Jacqueline Godwin
This afternoon, inmates of the Belize Central Prison entertained their fellow inmates in their very own talent show. The event was part of activities commemorating Kolbe Week, but organisers say the opportunity also provided some appreciated stress relief.

Crispin Jeffries, Jr., Inmate/ Organizer, Talent Show
“It goes along with prison week; it goes along with Kolbe Week, so there is a lot of activities that happens throughout the entire week. And there’s a lotta, like I said, there’s a lotta activities going on throughout Kolbe Week and this is just a function where the inmates come out and just have a source of entertainment. You know, this is about the only day that they actually get to relax apart from the big family day on Sunday. So this is a time just for them to relax and enjoy each others company.”

Frank Sebastian Caliz, Inmate, Hattieville Prison
“We as prisoner here, we are locked up physically, but mentally we are free and the activities that takes place here make us feel very good.”

Twenty-seven year old Frank Sebastian Caliz has served half of a ten year sentence at the Belize Central Prison. Caliz is hoping for early release and hopes to one day return to the institution as an employee, to highlight the creativity and talent behind the bars.

Frank Sebastian Caliz
“They just use your times wisely so that they cannot be idle or time wasting.”

The performances included singing, dancing, poetry and drama. Jacqueline Godwin for News Five.

Kolbe Week officially comes to an end with a family day on Sunday.