State Minister in the Ministry of National Security Pearnel Charles Jr has promised that he will be pushing to ensure that talented and highly skilled parolees can be employed by the Government.

“The Government must take the lead. When I ask about the policy, there is a lot of indifference as to what the position of the Government is. I will be pressing the relevant parties to find out why we cannot, also, as Government, consider persons who are paroled, who have the necessary skill set, and who have exhibited that they have been rehabilitated and are talented to come in and work with us. I don’t see why not,” the minister said.

The state minister’s promise was greeted with loud cheers from the 28 parolees he was addressing at the Department of Correctional Services inaugural Parolee Entrepreneurial Forum at the Portmore Probation Office on Port Henderson Road in St Catherine on Tuesday.

However, in his address to the parolees, Charles Jr also encouraged them to focus on being the masters of their own destiny and to work towards creating their own employment.

He told the parolees that they have to develop themselves, making themselves indispensable as they are in a very competitive society.

“There will be some difficult days ahead for you. It’s already hard for somebody in Jamaica to secure employment; [that person] could have 11 ones (in CSEC), come from the greatest community, and [that person] still has a difficulty. What about you?” Charles asked.

The minister pointed out that that is the reason the programmes offered in prison are so important, and urged the parolees “not to sit back and wait to be employed to get a job”.

“Nobody is going to lift you up, the probation officer will support you, HEART Trust/NTA will give you support, but who will have to make the decision morning after morning and to go out and to unlock your full potential? You!” he told them.

The minister also admitted to the parolees that he has been told ‘no’ many times in his life, but each time he was told ‘no’ he smiled, because being told he could not do something was one of the worst things people could do.

“When man tell me that I can’t do it, I am going to show them that I can do it,” he said.

The minister further told the parolees that many people will tell them ‘no’, but they should use that ‘no’ as a motivation to move forward and to always smile knowing that they have the potential to do better.

Minister Charles also urged the parolees not to dwell on the likely stigmatisation they will receive from many in society, but to focus on the positives and those who want to lend them a helping hand.

“Me nuh lesser than nobody and none of you are lesser than nobody, don’t let nobody tell you you can’t,” he said.

At the same time, he said: “You are no longer parolees you are my ambassadors and I know that it is not all easy, it is difficult. We can sit here and we can talk about the programme and how it is nice, but many of you right now, your head space and what you have to confront, it is very challenging.

“For some of you, it’s very frightening,” Charles said while recalling an inmate who had told him that he was not sure he wanted to leave prison, as he did not want to repeat the act that had caused him to be in prison in the first place.

But, Charles encouraged the parolees to move away from self-pity.

Meanwhile, two of the parolees who spoke to the Jamaica Observer said that one of the most difficult issues for parolees is finding employment.

Zona Luna, 42, who served 10 years in prison for murder, said she was only 21 when she was imprisoned, leaving her two young children behind. Before going to prison, Luna said she worked as a machine operator at a factory, but since she was paroled about nine years ago she has been unable to secure employment because of her police record.

“It has been really rough but I don’t mek not getting any work stop me, I try to do things for myself,“ she said.

”I am a person that never give up because I believe in myself and I believe that once there is life there is hope for you,” she added, while noting that she sells clothes for a living and hosts fund-raising events such as a ‘Fish Fry’.

She urged those who are still in prison to participate in the programmes that are being offered so that when they are granted their freedom they can maximise on what they have learnt.

Another parolee, Easton McEkron, 64, who spent 19 years for murder and has also been out of prison for nine years, said he knew finding a job would not be easy. As a result, he said he learnt tailoring in prison and when he was released, he joined with his partner who is a dressmaker and is now in the business of creating swimwear and other clothing for women.

Unlike Luna, McEkron said his transition from prison to society was not difficult as he had tremendous support from his family. However, he urged young men to do all that they can to avoid prison.

“All I can tell the youth dem is dat round there is not a place for dem. Get yourself active, go to school, be productive,” he said.