PRISON REFORM, economic co-operation and police/community relations are three areas which could benefit from collaboration between Jamaica and the Nation of Islam, Minister Louis Farrakhan said yesterday.
Mr. Farrakhan, head of the Nation of Islam, told a press briefing at the Hilton Hotel, New Kingston, prior to his departure yesterday after a six-day visit, that he had discussed the matter of the Nation of Islam's assisting with the prison reform measures with Dr. Peter Phillips, Minister of National Security.
He said that there would be ongoing talks on economic co-operation which could not be disclosed until they were concluded. Minister Farrakhan said too that the Nation of Islam is offering its expertise to the Government in terms of "sensitivity training," which is aimed at improving police/community relations and reducing the number of police killings.
As a first step towards co-operation on prison reform, Mr. Farrakhan visited the General Penitentiary. He said that he had exposed the hierarchy of the prison system to the teachings of the Nation of Islam, "so that as a Christian country there would be no fear of our coming in to assist in the reform of the inmates."
He said that there is ongoing dialogue that will allow the Nation of Islam to be a part of the reform of the inmates, male and female, throughout Jamaica. He said that the local Nation of Islam mosque will be involved in the prison reform collaboration and his regional Minister, Rasul Muhammad, will oversee the project.
In terms of economic development, Mr. Farrakhan said that there will also be talks on economic development, "and other things that will allow us to work together and to work with government to improve the quality of life of all of the citizens of Jamaica."
"Those talks are going on now and when I leave those talks will continue, out of which we hope will come the programmatic thrust that we could be involved in making Jamaica the great nation that we believe is her destiny," he said.
