President Mohamed Nasheed has formed an office to oversee the release of almost 400 inmates released under the “second chance programme”, and has also formed a steering committee and a technical committee to monitor the reintegration of former inmates into society.
According to the President’s Office, the Second Chance Office will be administered by the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Services (DPRS), which is under direct authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs
“The Second Chance Programme Office is a government agency which will provide employment assistance, counselling for substance abuse, mentoring and other services that can help to reduce recidivism and promote social reintegration of inmates,” the President’s Office said.
The Steering Committee consists of Minister of Health and Family Dr Aminath Jameel, Minister of Human Resources, Youth and Sports Hassan Latheef, Minister of State for Home Affairs Mohamed Naeem, Deputy Minister for Health and Family Lubna Mohamed Zahir Hussain, and Director at the Ministry of Human Resources, Youth and Sports Aishath Rasheed.
The members appointed to the Technical Committee are the Mayor of Male’ City Maizan Ali Maniku, Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs Mohamed Farooq, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ahmed Muneer, and Deputy Director at the Maldives Police Service Sabra Nooraddeen.
At a press conference today, Deputy Health Minister Lubna Mohamed announced that 47 inmates will be released this evening.
Lubna told press that all inmates will be given three days free to spend with their families before they will have to come out for work and attend programmes held at the Second Chance Office.
Of the 47 inmates to be released tonight, 16 have job placements secured at the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) engineering corps, Lubna said.
Speaking at the press conference, State Minister for Home Affairs Mohamed Naeem stressed that all the inmates will be closely monitored by police.
He added that any inmate that fails to fully comply with the Second Chance Office will be promptly sent back to prison to complete the rest of their sentence.
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not a day goes by without our President forming a new office, a commission or appointing a high ranking political person. Maruhaba mathi kuda sarukaaru. saabahey
Under which law?
what gives this man the right to loose these criminals! adhives 30 aharu dhuvahuge vaahaka dhakkaa
Under a broad and extremely wasteful interpretation of Section 116 of the Constitution, this may be considered as a redefinition of the jurisdiction and duties of the Home Ministry.
One wonders however, how the budget is allocated for these departments, commissions and "offices" which spring out of nowhere. Is the parliament informed? Is their approval sought for a provisional budget?
I believe that parliamentary oversight should limit the President's powers to allocate and reallocate budget items howsoever he wishes in order to create offices to administer to ad-hoc projects dreamed up overnight.
How many people/committees do you need to do a job? Why not put one person in charge and someone to assist and let them run it. Police or any other organisation concerned can give the technical assistance when needed.
I hope the program does not end like the following story.
"This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.
Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.
Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done"