Belize Central Prison

Andy had spent the past two years at the Belize Central Prison working with a program on computer literacy and so was acquainted with many of Belize´s convicted criminals in the prison as well as, much to my amusement, being able to point out many men on the street who had done some time in the past two years.

After our first few days at the beach in Hopkins we were heading up to Belize City when we past the prison vans, taking those of the prisoners on the Prison Advisory Board out for a picnic on the beach. Not being one to pass up free food and some time with old friends, Andy accepted their invitation for us to join them and we followed them to the beach. For the next few hours, we lounged on the beach and enjoyed a meal of barbequed chicken, bread and coleslaw.

After leaving the beach, we made the two hour drive to Belize City, where we stopped in Hattieville for a quick tour of the prison, where the prison director generously offered me a position working in the woman’s section, in exchange for room and board, until I could find a job back home.