YOUR MAJESTY, THE INDLOVUKAZI,
EMAKHOSIKATI,
YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES, BANTFWABENKOSI
PRIME MINISTER,
COUNCILORS,
CHIEFS,
CHIEF JUSTICE,
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER,
CABINET MINISTERS,
EXCELLENCIES, MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS,
PRESIDING OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE MANZINI REGION,
COMMISSIONER GENERALS OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES FROM NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES,
COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES AND ALL RANKS OF THE SWAZILAND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES,
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
NGIYANIVUSELA NONKHE KUMATSAPHA.
INTRODUCTION
IT IS ALWAYS A GREAT PLEASURE FOR US TO GET THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AT MATSAPA CORRECTIONAL SERVICES COLLEGE TO COMMEMORATE THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DAY.
LET ME HASTEN TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THIS OCCASION. YOUR PRESENCE HERE TODAY IS A CLEAR TESTIMONY THAT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO DAY’S EVENT.
WE ARE PLEASED TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE COMMISSIONERS AND HIGH RANKING OFFICERS FROM OUR NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES THAT ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH US.
TO ALL OF YOU WE WISH TO SAY FEEL AT HOME. I HOPE WHILST IN THE KINGDOM YOU WILL BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE TRUE SWAZI HOSPITALITY.
WE HOPE YOUR COMING TOGETHER HERE WILL ALSO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRAINSTORM ON ISSUES THAT ARE PERTINENT TO YOUR WORK.
AS COMMISSIONER’S, YOU HAVE CHALLENGES OF CREATING ENABLING ENVIRONMENTS IN YOUR RESPECTIVE INSTITUTIONS FOR THE INMATES. YOUR TASK OF REHABILITATING AND REINTEGRATING OFFENDERS TO SOCIETY IS ENORMOUS. THE DYNAMICS OF THE 21ST CENTURY REQUIRES COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE INNOVATIVE AND ALWAYS LEADING IN NEW TRENDS AND BEST PRACTICES IN PENAL REFORM.
SIGNIFICANCE OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DAY
IT IS GRATIFYING TO NOTE THAT CORRECTIONAL SERVICES INSTITUTIONS HAVE BECOME ACCESSIBLE TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. WE RECALL THAT IN THE OLDEN DAYS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE AVOIDING PRISON FACILITIES.
IT WAS LIKE A TABOO TO VISIT SUCH FACILITIES BUT THE COMMEMORATION OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DAY HAS CHANGED THAT PERCEPTION. SUCH OCCASIONS GIVES THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPREHEND AND APPRECIATE THE GOOD WORK DONE BY CORRECTIONAL SERVICES OFFICERS.
WE ENCOURAGE FUNCTIONS OF THIS NATURE BECAUSE THEY HELP THE NATION TO VALUE YOUR WORK. THIS THEREFORE, MAKES IT EASY TO INTEGRATE EX-OFFENDERS BACK TO SOCIETY.
APPLAUD THE GOOD WORK FOR CORRECTIONAL
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES OFFICERS, THE NATION IS PLEASED WITH THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING. WE ARE COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT YOUR WORK SOMETIMES EXPOSES YOU TO DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENTS.
YOU ARE EXPECTED TO DEAL WITH HARDENED CRIMINALS. BUT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO REHABILITATE THEM SO THAT THEY BECOME RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS. THIS IS INDEED A MAMMOTH TASK AND THE NATION IS LOOKING UPON YOU TO EXECUTE IT DILIGENTLY.
AS CORRECTIONAL SERVICES OFFICERS, THE NATION HAS ENTRUSTED YOU WITH THE MISSION OF MAKING SURE THAT, YOU PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AND OTHER ACCEPTABLE SOCIETAL NORMS TO THE OFFENDERS AND YOU SHOULD DO THIS WITH LOVE AND DIGNITY.
INFORM THEM THAT, BEING A PRISONER IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. GIVE THEM HOPE THAT THERE IS LIFE AFTER SERVING THEIR SENTENCES.
WE ARE ALSO PLEASED THAT BESIDES TAKING CARE OF OFFENDERS YOU ALSO IMPACT TO THEM LIFE SKILLS THAT THEY CAN USE AFTER SERVING THEIR SENTENCES. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT, THE MULTIPLE SKILLS YOU GIVE THEM HAVE REALLY HELPED THEM A LOT. SOME AFTER LEAVING YOUR INSTITUTION HAVE ESTABLISHED MEANINGFUL INCOME GENERATING PROJECTS.
WE APPRECIATE THESE PROGRAMMES AND WE ENCOURAGE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES TO DIVERSIFY THEM SO THAT INMATES CAN BECOME EMPOWERED CITIZENS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION.
EDUCATION FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS
IN THIS REGARD, I AM PLEASED WITH THE DEVELOPMENTS TAKING PLACE AT THE MALKERNS INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL WHICH ARE AIMED AT TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF THE CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THE GOOD WORK THAT IS BEING DONE BY THE TEACHERS AS EVIDENCED BY THE GOOD RESULTS OBTAINED BY THE PUPILS DURING THEIR EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS LAST YEAR. WE CONGRATULATE THOSE PUPILS WHO DID WELL AND WISH THEM WELL AS THEY FURTHER THEIR STUDIES.
I AM ENCOURAGING THE TEACHERS AND THE CHILDREN TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO BETTER THIS YEAR’S RESULTS.
I COMMEND THE EFFORT OF THE SERVICE TO REMOVE THE STIGMA OF BEING INCARCERATED FROM THE CHILDREN BY ALLOWING THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES DONE BY THEIR PEERS AS SEEN IN THE RECENT SCHOOL COMPETITIONS WHERE THEY PERFORMED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.
I URGE THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN HANDS WITH THE SERVICE IN RESTORING MORAL FAMILY VALUES TO COMBAT CRIME SO THAT THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED.
THE DIVERSITY OF PUPILS IN THE SCHOOL SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED SO THAT OUR YOUNG OFFENDERS CAN FEEL THAT SOCIETY HAS NOT DESERTED THEM.
AS MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY FORCES, WE ARE PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS PARTNERED WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE MAINTENANCE OF PEACE, LAW AND ORDER IN THE COUNTRY.
PARTICIPATION IN NATIONAL ACTIVITIES
WE ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO UPHOLD YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE. THE ENTHUSIASM YOU SHOW DURING THESE ACTIVITIES GIVES US JOY THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN YOUR PROFESSIONAL WORK AND CULTURE.
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES OFFICERS, ALL THE EXCELLENT THINGS YOU ARE DOING PROMOTES THE GOOD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUR ORGANIZATION AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE. YOUR VISIBILITY HAS CREATED A HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOURSELVES AND THE NATION.
ENHANCING SECURITY IN THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES FACILITIES
THE NATION IS ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE ALSO ENHANCED SECURITY IN THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH CHALLENGES YOU ENCOUNTER WITH THE INMATES.
THE INTRODUCTION OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY FOR CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES IS WELCOMED. THE CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION AND REMOTE REMAND SYSTEM IS APPLAUDED.
WE ARE PLEASED THAT, THE REMANDEES WILL BE REMANDED REMOTELY IN-HOUSE IN DUE COURSE.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO ACCELERATE THE USE OF ICT IN ENHANCING CASE MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY IN ALL CORRECTIONAL SERVICES FACILITIES.
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN IDEAL OFFICER
AS OFFICERS OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, YOU HAVE TO ABIDE BY YOUR OATH OF OFFICE. WHATEVER YOU DO AND WHERE EVER YOU ARE, YOU SHOULD REMEMBER THAT A CORRECTIONAL SERVICES OFFICER UPHOLDS DISCIPLINE, LOYALTY AND HONESTY TO THE HIGHEST ESTEEM.
ALL DISCIPLINED FORCES ARE THERE TO PROTECT THE NATION, WE EXPECT SAME FROM YOU. YOUR DUTY REQUIRES SHARP MINDS AND DEPICTING A GOOD IMAGE FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION AND THE SECURITY FORCES AS A WHOLE.
IF YOU ARE NOT HONEST YOU ARE BOUND TO FIND YOURSELF ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAW. YOUR DUTY IS TO LOOK AFTER INMATES NOT TO ASSIST THEM TO ESCAPE FROM LAWFUL CUSTODY.
IF YOU DO THAT, YOU WILL BE COMMITTING A CRIME AND THAT IS TANTAMOUNT TO CORRUPTION AND YOU DON’T DESERVE TO BE IN THE SERVICE.
THE NATION EXPECTS OFFICERS TO BE HONEST AND BE ABLE TO PUT THE INTEREST OF THE COUNTRY FIRST.
IN YOUR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES WHEN THEY SEE YOU, THEY SHOULD FEEL SAFE AND CONFIDENT THAT THEY ARE PROTECTED. THEREFORE THERE IS NO TIME WHEN A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IS OFF DUTY. YOU ARE ON DUTY 365 DAYS A YEAR, EVERY SECOND, EVERY MINUTE AND EVERY HOUR.
COSTS SAVING PROJECTS
WE ARE PLEASED THAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS EMBARKED ON COST SAVING PROJECTS. WE WELCOME THIS IDEA BECAUSE LAST YEAR WE ENCOURAGED THE DEPARTMENT TO MAXIMIZE THE PRODUCTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES IN-HOUSE.
AGRICULTURE (MILK AND MEAT):
WE ARE HAPPY THAT YOU ARE NOW SELF SUFFICIENT IN MILK AND MEAT PRODUCTION HENCE SAVING GOVERNMENT MONEY THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE USED TO PURCHASE MILK FOR INMATES.
I URGE YOU TO ENSURE THAT YOU INTRODUCE OTHER COST SAVING AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS.
TAILORING:
IT IS PLEASING TO NOTE THAT APART FROM TEACHING SEWING SKILLS TO INMATES, YOU ARE NOW USING THIS PROGRAMME TO SAVE GOVERNMENT MONEY SHE WOULD HAVE USED TO PURCHASE UNIFORMS FOR OFFICERS AND INMATES SINCE YOU ARE NOW PRODUCING YOUR UNIFORMS IN-HOUSE.
I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER SEWING UNIFORMS FOR THE OTHER SISTER FORCES, SCHOOLS AND ORGANISATIONS.
BAKERY UNIT:
I AM HAPPY TO NOTE THAT CORRECTIONAL SERVICES IS EMBARKING ON PRODUCING ITS OWN BREAD. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IT IS ANOTHER COST SAVING PROJECT SINCE BREAD IS BEING USED ON A DAILY BASIS.
PRINTING AND PUBLISHING:
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ENSURE THAT THIS PROJECT IS VIABLE AS IT WILL SAVE GOVERNMENT A LOT OF MONEY IN PURCHASING STATIONERY SINCE YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PRODUCE IT YOURSELVES.
I HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING YOUR VARIOUS PRODUCTS AT THE TRADE FAIR THAT IS COMPARATIVE TO NONE AND HAS EARNED YOU THE RESPECT OF THE DIFFERENT TRADES.
YOU HAVE CONTINUED TO PRODUCE AMAZING VEGETABLES AND SHOWCASED UPHOLSTERY AND HANDICRAFT THAT IS PAST FINDING AND WE APPLAUD YOU FOR THE NEW ADDITIONS INTO YOUR TRADE AND SKILLS.
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES OFFICERS, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SHOWN AN OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUCCESS OF THE SERVICE THROUGH THEIR HARD WORK, UPHOLDING OF ETHICAL STANDARDS, DISCIPLINE, AND LOYALTY WILL BE DECORATED WITH AWARDS AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME.
THE MEDALS WILL BE IN THREE DIFFERENT CATERGORIES, NAMELY: LONG SERVICE, MERITORIUS AWARD AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE.
THIS PLACES A SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY ON ALL OF YOU AS RECIPIENTS, TO GO ON AND MAKE THE SAME KIND OF OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS.
CONCLUSION
WHILE WE APPRECIATE THAT THE ROLE OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES IS NOW MAINLY REHABILITATION AND CHARACTER TRANSFORMATION.
WE RECOGNISE THAT THE NATION HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN RESTORING AND INSTILLING MORAL FAMILY VALUES IN ORDER TO COMBAT CRIME. MOST OFFENCES COULD BE AVOIDED IF CULTURAL VALUES AND NORMS COULD BE INCULCATED IN OUR UPCOMING GENERATION. INDEED OUR CULTURAL VALUES SHALL MAKE A NATION OF MAN AND WOMAN OF STATURE AND INTEGRITY CHARACTERISED BY RESPECT AND HARD WORK.
WE ENCOURAGE THE NATION TO PARTNER WITH CORRECTIONAL SERVICES BY MAKING SURE THAT THEY WELCOME EX-OFFENDERS TO MAIN STREAM SOCIETY. WE ALSO NEED TO CREATE AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BE INVOLVED IN NATION BUILDING. GOING TO CUSTODY SHOULD NOT CONDEMN AN INDIVIDUAL FOREVER. THERE IS A SECOND CHANCE IN LIFE.
WE ALSO ENCOURAGE THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES HEALTH PROGRAMMES TO BE STRENGTHENED SO THAT OFFICERS AND INMATES CAN RECEIVE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IN-HOUSE.
LET ME NOW TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PREPARATIONS OF TODAY’S EVENT.
WE ALSO APPRECIATE ALL THE PERFORMANCES AND ITEMS THAT WERE RENDERED HERE AS THEY MADE THIS A JOYOUS AND MEMORABLE DAY INDEED.
I THANK YOU. MAY GOD ALMIGHTY BLESS US ALL.