Wilfred Manning (right) surrounded by other members of the Pointe Blanche prison supervisory committee.
PHILIPSBURG--The Pointe Blanche prison supervisory committee held a farewell ceremony for its longest-serving member Wilfred Manning, at Holland House Beach Hotel on Tuesday, January 28, after Manning’s final supervisory committee meeting.
Manning served a total of 30 years on the committee, in addition to other public offices he held, which included court bailiff, judge of instruction, and police officer in Curaçao.
The ceremony was attended by Justice Ministry Secretary-General Russell Ursula, Pointe Blanche prison director Alwin Keli, fellow committee members and several of Manning’s former colleagues.
According to the supervisory committee, Manning is particularly known for “always caring for the rights of inmates and for trying to foster opportunities for [inmates’ – Ed.] personal advancement” during the time he served as supervisory committee member.
Supervisory committee chairperson Gerald Simmons-De Jong said it was “an inspiration” to serve alongside Manning and thanked him for his persistence in standing up for inmates’ rights over the past 30 years.
The supervisory committee’s task is to help ensure that prison inmates are treated fairly and to seek ways to improve their conditions in conjunction with the prison director and the St. Maarten Justice Ministry.
