programme, says Health and Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness.

While released prisoners have never been specifilly excluded from the Works and Engineering programme, Government used the recent Throne Speech to emphasise that prisoners could apply.

Those in the programme are paid about $300 a week for manual jobs like cutting hedges and improving Government properties, Mr. Edness said.

"We can't take everybody, but whenever there is an opening, they'll be eligible the same as anyone who hasn't been in prison,'' Mr. Edness told The Royal Gazette .

The programme, which released prisoners can join for up to six months after their release, will be in addition to job placement services offered by Probation Services, he said.

"One of the biggest problems facing inmates who are looking to live a normal life is if they can't get a job then very often they go back to their old ways.''