Led by the Ministry of Justice with technical support from UNODC and implemented in partnership with Tur Cos Ta Posibel, the first prison book club has been launched, making early steps towards rehabilitation and education.
POINT BLANCHE--A book club has become the latest step in the development of the Point Blanche Prison Satellite Library, bringing prisoners together with librarians and volunteers for an afternoon of reading, discussion and reflection.
The first book club activity, held last month, centred on The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and was facilitated by a librarian from the Sint Maarten Library. The session brought together prisoners, prisoner volunteers, international volunteers and library representatives to discuss the story of a young shepherd whose search for treasure ultimately leads to personal transformation.
Beyond the book itself, the activity marked the beginning of a series of planned reading, literacy and cultural activities at the prison. The book club was organised under the Under the Hood Programme, with prisoner volunteers taking an active role alongside international volunteers. Their involvement extends beyond participating in activities, as they are also helping develop the prison library by organising its collection and preparing the new library space.
The initiative follows an agreement between the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (MECYS) and the St. Maarten Library to establish the prison facility as a satellite library connected to the island’s wider public library system. The partnership is intended to give prisoners greater access to books and professional library services while creating regular opportunities for reading, learning and personal development.
The library project forms part of the broader Detention Sector Reform Programme (DSRP), led by the Ministry of Justice with technical support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and implemented in partnership with Tur Cos Ta Posibel.
Work on the facility will continue in the coming months, including renovating and equipping the library space, organising and expanding its collection, training staff and prisoner library assistants and establishing regular reading and library activities.
The first book club therefore represents more than a single reading session. It is an early step towards making the prison library an active part of rehabilitation and education efforts at Point Blanche with prisoners themselves involved in building and running the space.
