Inmates Tell Youth to Make the Most of Their Opportunities and Talents

Each inmate spoke for approximately ten minutes during their address to youths that visited the Belize Central Prison. Other lessons they shared were about the restrictions placed on inmates inside prison, including the use of mobile devices. Inmates also encouraged the youth to use their talents, and to listen to the elders in their lives.

Jaden

Jaden, Inmate

“Finish unu school, get a nice job and thing. Nuh give nuh trouble and listen to unu parents and listen to the elders. Dah just my advice to unu and thing mein because this place nuh nice and I nuh want sih nun ah unu face yah. If I fuh get convicted and thing, I nuh want sih unu face and thing. Open unu eye and listen to what I have to say and thing. All ah unu have a gift. God give all a unu a gift.”

Lane Grinage

Lane Grinage, Inmate

“Some people come dah jail and ih nih easy, ih nuh easy. People the tell yo when fih get up. Yo get food pan a certain time. Deh got limited access to everything. Right now, everybody een yah mussy got a phone and got a tik-tok account. If you get involved eena crim and all kind ah mischief out deh, yon uh wah got that.  Deh have future politicians, future Prime Minister, future C.E.O.s, you dah the future leaders of this country, nurses, doctors, lawyers, policemen.”

Inmate #3

“Prison yes, prison teach you wah lot a thing, but like weh the bredrin the try teach yo, you like have your phone pan you, yo cant have yo phone yah. No Facebook, nuh WhatApp, no Tik-Tok. I don’t even know weh dah Tik-Tok, but den deh nuh the yah. So, if yo like that, yo try yo best fih keep wih from out ah deh Orange suit yah. Unu have an opportunity as students. If yo play football, yo have a gift, basketball, try following that. My age like unu, I had an opportunity fih gawn. I mih deh pan national team and all ah deh things, suh unu have a better more opportunity.”