INMATES CELEBRATE DRUG-FREE MILESTONE

Education, rehabilitation and not incarceration -- these were the
words of seven prisoners who graduated from the Alternative Substance
Abuse Programme at an emotional ceremony at Westgate Correctional
Facility yesterday.

More than 70 family members and friends gathered to wish the inmates
well on their way to a drug-free life, including Labour and Home
Affairs Minister Randy Horton, UBP Senator Kenny Bascome and Acting US
Consul General Antoinette Boecker.

"Too much money is spent on locking people up and not addressing the
issues," said one inmate, who told the audience he had been a drug
user for over 23 years but had come to terms with his addiction
through the programme.

The inmates completed the seven-month programme which emphasises group
therapy and alternative therapies such as acupuncture. "Addicts have
good intentions but the minute we forget we lose our motivation. In
the beginning most of us don't want to participate but once we know
the help is there we know there are options."

Government pays $250,000 a year to fund the programme. Facilitators
Kenneth Matthews, Randolph Leverock and Kuni-Frith Black are
contracted to work with substances abusers through ASAP on a full-time
basis. Programme director Ms Frith-Black told The Royal Gazette that
approximately 60 inmates have graduated successfully from the
programme to date. Ms Frith Black said in the near future a relapse
prevention programme will be launched as part of the ASAP programme.

Ms Frith-Black, who used to work as a substance abuse counsellor at
FOCUS, said ASAP begins with a 12 step narcotics anonymous programme.
Substance abusers participate in group therapy sessions to identify
their reasons for beginning to use drugs. They discuss issues of
violence, abuse and the importance of responsibility.

"Our overall goal is to take them step by step to getting them to
admit they're powerless over their addiction and to look at how they
became addicts," said Ms Frith-Black.

The inmates will move to the Transitional Living Centre before
resuming a normal life in the community.

Another inmate delivered a heartfelt message to the Minister. Prisons
Commissioner Hubert Dean joined Mr. Horton in expressing his hopes
that the inmates could use what they learned in the programme to
become productive citizens.