Prison Governor honoured by Rotary

It is the highest award that Rotary International confers, and in Belize it has been bestowed on a select few. The latest Belizean to become a Paul Harris fellow is none other than Executive Governor of Prisons, Bernard Adolphus. Named after the founder of Rotary, Paul Harris, the award is given to outstanding members of the community who exemplify the ideals of Rotary, namely helping their fellow man. Adolphus, who works each day with those people considered to be at the lowest rung of the social ladder, was described by Rotary’s Ernesto Vasquez as a deserving recipient.

Ernesto Vasquez, Chairman, Int’l Committee, Rotary Bze.

“Well with the prompting of John Woods, who’s a member of the Rotary Club of Belize, he recommended that Mr. Adolphus given the award because he has been dedicated to his profession. He’s been working with the prison service for so many years and he cares with the inmates of the prison. His experience with Mr. Adolphus has always been that the man would go beyond the call of duty to help the inmates of the correctional facility. In fact he tells us stories of riots taking place, the police on the compound are getting ready to throw tear gas, shoot at the prisoners and Adolphus would come in and calm them down. He’s in the middle putting himself in physical danger, and this is not once.?

“Personally I was at the prison a few days ago and just giving us a tour and calling him and they talk to him like a friend. He’s also concerned about them too. We put these people in this facility, they broke the law and deserve to be punished, but to what extent. They are in there and they are not being rehabilitated. They go in and they come out worse than they went in. And Adolphus, what he can do, he tries to improve that situation. That’s the main reason, and besides being a good human being, we find that he was a worthy recipient of the Paul Harris Award.”

The award was presented to Adolphus at Wednesday’s weekly Rotary luncheon by President Adrian Roe.