The Prison’s Behind the Walls Five-a-side Street Soccer Tournament 2023 wrapped up on Thursday with C – Block emerging competition.
B – Bock place second, A – Block third and C – Block in the cellar position.
In a presentation ceremony at the prison’s lecture hall, the most disciplined player for each team were identified as:
A -Block — Romano Wright; B-Block — Richard Francis; C-Block — Julius John; and D Block — Benjamin Harvey.
The MVP for each team:
A–Block — Mwata Henry; B—Block — Chad Jacobs; C—Block — Zemroy Guy; and D Block — Kirk Williams.
Richard Francis was the most discipline player of the tournament and the MVP of the tournament Chad Jacobs.
The six goals scored in the tournament were each by a different individual so instead of giving a most goal award, the organiser recognised Jeromie Andrews as having scored the best goal of the tournament, scoring the only goal in B-Block’s victory over C-Block.
D-Block was adjudged to be the most disciplined team
The teams and individuals were awarded with medals, cakes, drinks, with other packages.
Meanwhile, a team was selected from the tournament to play against prison officers.
The team was consisted of Mwata Henry, Romano Wright, Zemroy Guy, Julius John, Shorn George, Chad Jacobs, Bradley Huggins, and Osborne Brudy.
The prisoners defeated the warders two goals to nil with Romano Wright scoring the first goal and Chad Jacobs scoring the second.
Police donate soccer balls to prisoners
Last week, the participants in and organisers of the tournament received six new soccer balls from the Commissioner of Police, Colin John, who made the presentation on behalf of the police force, to acting Superintendent of Prison, Dwayne Bailey at the Prison compound in Kingstown.
The donation was witnessed by retired station sergeant of police, Meldon James, who is the founder and organiser of the soccer tournament.
John praised the initiative between His Majesty’s Prison and James to assist in the rehabilitation of the inmates.
“The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) is happy to collaborate with the Superintendent of His Majesty’s Prison and former station sergeant Meldon James in making sure that the football programme is a success,” John said.
He it was a very good initiative by James to have started the programme.
“As part of our assistance to the programme, the RSVGPF solicited six soccer balls from a friend of the police who wish to remain anonymous,” the polcei chief said.
He said rehabilitation is a part of the sentencing aim and the football programme is very much in sync with the rehabilitation of offenders.
“The RSVGPF hopes that this programme would help to reduce the recidivism levels among inmates at His Majesty’s Prison and that they would utilize their time while serving their sentence in a meaningful way.”
And, Bailey thanked the commissioner of police for the donation.
“This would assist to provide more recreation for the inmates and give them an excellent form of exercise. Presently, a football competition is ongoing at the Belle Isle Correctional Facility, which would be extended to the prison in Kingstown. So, the balls are very timely,” Bailey said.
In giving an overview of the programme, James said that while he prosecuting cases in the Serious Offences Court, he noticed that most of the people who appeared before the court were repeat offenders.
“This made me think about what I could have done to minimise the problem. In 2015, I started with a Bible distribution programme in the prisons because it was my dream that every prisoner being discharged should leave with a Bible.”
James further explained that in 2018, he started a street soccer rehabilitation programme called “Behind the Walls Five-a-side Street Soccer Tournament” at His Majesty’s Prison.
The theme of the tournament’s is “Free on the Inside – It’s a mind thing” and the motto is “Don’t waste time while doing time.”
James said one of the exciting features of the tournament is a friendly game between the inmates and a police team.