The public is encouraged to watch the debut of HVB Unscripted on Friday
PHILIPSBURG--The Ministry of Justice is launching a new television series titled HVB UNSCRIPTED, scheduled to premiere on Friday, August 26. The series initiated by Minister of Justice Anna Richardson is a concerted effort to discourage the youth from choosing a path of crime.
The broadcast aims to depict the stories of how inmates and former inmates ultimately became statistics in St. Maarten’s criminal justice system. HVB UNSCRIPTED will also bring awareness of how choices negatively affect everyone in the community directly and indirectly.
The film is being jointly produced by the Cabinet of the Minister of Justice, the Department of Judicial Affairs, Foundation Judicial Institutes Sint Maarten (SJIS), the Department of Communication, and the Pointe Blanche prison and House of Detention.
Richardson said: “The Ministry of Justice places great value on the impact of the personal experiences of inmates and former inmates. I found it imperative to provide a platform where the youth can hear the stories of those who are sitting lengthy sentences at the Pointe Blanche prison and House of Detention, as well as former inmates currently in contact with the Probation Office.”
In the film, participants vividly describe their background, family life and the circumstances or decisions that led them to being sentenced to prison, the film crew said. “They expressed the realisation that their decisions were not the right ones and if they were faced with the choice to commit a crime again, they wouldn’t.”
The participants also gave details about survival on the inside, while participants who are former inmates delved into the positive journey they are on since being released from prison.
The Ministry of Justice will be providing a copy of each episode to all primary and high schools, as well as with the various youth organisations, in a bid to encourage children to take a positive path in life while making the right choices that help them to avoid ever being in the criminal justice system.
Set and filmed in St. Maarten, HVB UNSCRIPTED is scheduled to premiere at 8:00pm this coming Friday, August 26, on TelEm’s TelTV+, TV15, TVCARiB, the official Facebook Pages of the Government of St Maarten and the Ministry of Justice, and the YouTube Channels Government of St. Maarten and Ministry of Justice St. Maarten.
A new episode of HVB UNSCRIPTED will be featured each month until December.
“I encourage the public to tune in this coming Friday, to the various viewing platforms, watch each episode with your children, and share the film with others to create awareness so that we can reach our youth across the nation and beyond,” Richardson said. “I’d like to thank all persons and departments for your contributions to getting this series launched. This would not be possible without the enthusiasm and willingness of the participants to share their experiences, and the various departments involved.”
