1. Q&A/Profile
Word Count: 1055 words
Target Audience: Activists, Interest groups, Not-for-Profit Organizations, Corporate citizens, All
citizens especially those being extradited or leaving prison, Politicians, Government Ministers
and Officials
Publication: Daily Trinidad Express Newspapers, Daily Trinidad Guardian, Daily Newsday or
Weekly TnT Mirror, A Prison Reform Newsletter or Magazine likeBatch News or The Newcast
As Luck Would Have It Or By Chance?
By Orlanda Sebro
Alas finally, I got a hold of him. His schedules are hectic and much of his time is
demanded by all and sundry; a very busy man he is indeed. He is a devoted father of two
children, a loving and supportive husband and an even more devoted and passionate working
gentleman behind his huge armchair; behind his on-air studio microphone; formerly behind his
revered bake and shake stall in Port of Spain and St. James. Plus lately he was in front of our
television sets giving us his talk show, “Another Chance”, on Synergy TV.
However, that Tuesday afternoon I was considered a lucky woman to have caught Wayne
Brian Chance, founder and president of Vision on Mission and co-host and host,respectively, of
Take Two and Restorative Justice, both airing on I95.5fm. One can agree that when Mr. Chance
speaks he appears as though he is quarrelling with the world, but once you know him like I do,
you would distinguish that his husky voice is one of concern and passion for what he does and
believe in. Rehabilitating and reintegrating ex-convicts,furthermore dealing with, repeat
offenders and deportees who aim at having a second chance, is no easy feat for his small staffed
organization. This act is one Mr. Chance is fully aware of, having been to prison before.
Coincidentally for him, he closed the revolving door and he saw the void and filled the need of
such a social service in 1995.
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2. At age 46, Wayne looks nothing above 40 years old. Maybe it is the food he eats, since
we chatted in the middle of his seemingly hearty and well-balanced late lunch. He spoke of his
new tasks at his non-governmental organization and the many daily appointments due that week
and of course found time to chat and chuckle with me about his past and present pursuits, hence
revealing a velvety side of who is Wayne Brian Chance. His appetite for what he does was truly
manifested when we discussed the issue of rehabilitating and reintegratingof ex-perpetrators in
Trinidad and Tobago. The following are excerpts of what transpired.
Q. How far behind or ahead do you believe Trinidad and Tobago is, within the Western
Hemisphere,with the issue of ex-con/prisoner or deportee rehabilitation and reintegration into
society?
A. Sometimes I wish that these questions could be asked on a big platform with cameras
right around so that people can really have an appreciation for what it is. But where we are in
terms of prison rehabilitation and reintegration in the region, I think that we are still a great
degree backwards as it relates to the will of the powers that be. I think it’s more a backwardness
in mentality rather than anything else….well it is overall because we are not at the place we
would like to be. However, there is a great effort being made on the part of civil society, as
NGOs and CBOs, to address the questions of ex-prisoners and deportees. So we still have a long
way to go as it relates to the certain practices of the Canadian and Australian models. Those two
countries really have a good example of what it should be like. Luckily, we’re the first in the
English-speaking Caribbean with a proper working model/system,so that’s good; but there’s so
much still to be desired in order for it to be running properly and providing optimum results.
Q. Based on your knowledge and experience, what more can be done, if anything at all?
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3. A. We need a budget allocated in the Ministry of Justice or in the Ministry of the People that
has a steering committee. This is for the sake of transparency, accountability and to be able to
release monies in a timely basis to meet infrastructural and reoccurring needs and also to have
the kind of professionals employed to facilitate the programme that is required at this time.
Q. How are the recidivism rates since the introduction of your programme?
A. The recidivism rate fluctuated in Trinidad and Tobago because of the input of the State.
In other words,5 years ago, VOM’s intervention would’ve impacted on the criminal activities as
it relates to re-offending. However,in 2013, the government’s input has been very minute even
though it has had an increase,but it’s very small in the context of the volume of people now that
is coming out and going into the prison. It is high; we have a 50-52% recidivism rate in T&T.
This statistic is based on a 3-5year-old researchstudy from Professor Deosaran(Prof. Ramesh
Deosaran is a revered local researcher, whose varied and wide reaching topics have spanned–
Prison Recidivism, Crime and Delinquency, Poverty Reduction and Judicial Reform)and our
evidence-based in-house pre-release programme. With the latter we are able to see who from the
pre-release programme re-enters the prison system. As well as the Commissioner of Prisons
provide annual reports to the Ministry of National Security,disclosing their repeat offenders and
their three classifications. First time offenders get a star, second timers are classified as special
and the third time re-offenders are considered ordinary and right now the special and the
ordinary are still far exceeding the stars.
Q. Does any of the graduates come back to assist in the Vision On Mission programme?
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4. A. Not much of them, just a few show gratitude and patriotism by coming back and assisting
in whatever ways they can. That’s like about 3 in every 10 persons but that fluctuates. Keeping
in mind, this is not compulsory after the length of the programme, which could last from 6-24
months.
Q. How does your rehabilitation and reintegration programme assist ex-inmates, repeat
offenders,juvenile delinquents and/or deportees?
A. VOM seeks to address deviant behaviour by counselling and mentoring ex-convicts
through psychology and spirituality. We provide accommodation with meals, clothing and job
placement. We also assist in money management, family reconciliation, mediation and legal
services.
Q. What does the future hold for VOM as a non-governmental organization with regards to
this issue?
A. The future of Visionon Mission is going to be very positive once we continue to get the
moral and financial support from well-wishers and governments.We shall continue to lobby,
petition and work hard for betterment of our society. That way we can really make a sinkable
dent in crime.
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