Inmates at the Maximum Security Prison (MSP) in Arouca got a surprise of their lives on Friday when star batsman and cricket legend Brian Charles Lara visited them for the launch of the MSP's 10-Overs Cricket League.
The launch, which commenced at about 3 pm, featured Lara as the guest speaker. The league is part of the Restorative Justice programme initiative at the prison. It was headed by Supt Lutchman and supported by Snr Supt Clarke and Supt Poliah.
It was the first time someone of that calibre visited the prison and mixed and mingled with the inmates.
Lara, in addressing the inmates, encouraged them of the importance of life. He urged the younger inmates not to give up on life because they are in prison. He showed them that there is life within the prison walls and after prison. He also spoke of the importance of restoration and encouraged the inmates to reach for the sky and emerge successes in life.
Lara also took the time to hear from inmates and allowed questions. Inmates questioned him mostly about his cricketing career, example, at what age he started his career and what were the weak points identified by him in his batting and how he was able to improve on it.
Lara was well received by the inmates and was ever willing to give autographs and photo-ops with inmates. He also played a game of cricket with the inmates showing off some of his famous Lara batting skills. The cricket tournament kicked off with a game between convicted inmates and remand inmates. The Remand team, which also consisted of a few prison officers got to 57 runs int he 10 overs before they were all out. The convicted inmates, however, went under, all out for 31.
The tournament continues over the next six weeks and will be followed by a small-goal football tournament.
Inmates at the Maximum Security Prison (MSP) in Arouca got a surprise of their lives on Friday when star batsman and cricket legend Brian Charles Lara visited them for the launch of the MSP's 10-Overs Cricket League.
The launch, which commenced at about 3 pm, featured Lara as the guest speaker. The league is part of the Restorative Justice programme initiative at the prison. It was headed by Supt Lutchman and supported by Snr Supt Clarke and Supt Poliah.
It was the first time someone of that calibre visited the prison and mixed and mingled with the inmates.
Lara, in addressing the inmates, encouraged them of the importance of life. He urged the younger inmates not to give up on life because they are in prison. He showed them that there is life within the prison walls and after prison. He also spoke of the importance of restoration and encouraged the inmates to reach for the sky and emerge successes in life.
Lara also took the time to hear from inmates and allowed questions. Inmates questioned him mostly about his cricketing career, example, at what age he started his career and what were the weak points identified by him in his batting and how he was able to improve on it. Lara was well received by the inmates and was ever willing to give autographs and photo-ups with inmates. He also played a game of cricket with the inmates showing off some of his famous Lara batting skills.
The cricket tournament kicked off with a game between convicted inmates and remand inmates. The Remand team, which also consisted of a few prison officers got to 57 runs int he 10 overs before they were all out. The convicted inmates, however, went under, all out for 31.
The tournament continues over the next six weeks and will be followed by a small-goal football tournament.