The Ministry of Culture Becomes Part of the New Penitentiary Model

The Minister of Culture, Jose Rafael Lantigua, in a visit to the new Center of Correction and Rehabilitation of the Isleta, in Moca, began the incorporation of his office with the jail reform in the in the Dominican Republic.

The Vice-ministers of Culture Bernarda Jorge, Lourdes Camilo de Cuello, Mateo Morrison, Enegildo Peña and Orlando Lora participated in the act.

The facilities, opened in November of last year with a capacity for 1200 inmates to replace the Jail May 2nd, is where the Cultural Center of Moca will be built. It will hold the Fine Arts School, an auditorium and a plaza of handcrafts, among other things.

In the ceremony, Lantigua donated 500 books to the library of the Center of Correction and added, “ the program of Free School will be implemented with classes in painting, theatre, folkloric dances and handicrafts for the inmates,” which will promote the applied arts schools and related arts and crafts.

The donation of books was done before the General Prosecutor of the Republic, Radhames Jimenez Peña, who thanked the gesture and declared that, “For us, it is very important that the Ministry of Culture becomes familiar with the scope of the jail reform in the Dominican Republic.” He added, “From this moment, a strategic alliance has begun between the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Culture, to promote the development of fine arts and culture in other centers.”

The Vice-ministers of Culture Bernarda Jorge, Lourdes Camilo de Cuello, Mateo Morrison, Enegildo Peña and Orlando Lora participated in the act.

Also present were Alejandro Arvelo, General Director of the Book Fair, Ángel Mejía, General Director of Free Schools; Valentín Amaro, General Director of Literary Workshops; Genaro Robles de la Cruz, Director of Popular Participation; Domingo Guerrero, General Director of the Provinces; y Romina Bayo, General Director de Communication y Audiovisuals del Ministry of Culture, among others.

The visitors were accompanied by the Director of the new model prison Roberto Santana and the Director of the Center La Isleta, Erickson de Jesús Bobadilla as well as General Prosecutor of the Republic.

Dr. Antonio Pérez Méndez, José Ismael Cuello, the Provincial Governor Aníbal Camacho syndicate leader Guarocuya Cabral, also participated, among others.