75 Inmates Graduate from Rehab Programs

It was a proud and emotional day at the Belize Central Prison on Wednesday, as seventy-five inmates, both men and women, walked across the stage not in shackles, but in celebration. They graduated from programs at the Ashcroft Rehabilitation Center, or ARC, a facility inside the prison that helps inmates confront personal struggles like drug and alcohol addiction. Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa was there to witness the milestone and shared a powerful message with the graduates. He reminded them that while life doesn’t wait for anyone to be ready, what matters most is the choice to face your challenges head-on.

 

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“I thank you for allowing me to witness the important moment in your journey. I do say the word journey, as this facility is only one step as you make additional steps beyond these walls. To each of you, I say thank you for being a part of this massive transformation. You all, seventy-five of you, completed the ARC program, the RRC program or the trauma course. Each one of these requires discipline, reflection and action. Now let’s be honest, for just a second, life does not wait for anyone to be ready. It throws you into situations that test you, but what brings you here today is not what you’ve been through. It is the choice you made to face it. Some of you, when you were outside, you were once referred to as promising. People saw potential in you, but maybe you did not understand what it takes to act on that promise. The truth is, promise without a plan is just a story we tell ourselves.”