Annual Guardsweek celebrated in Aruba
Once a year, the JICN staff of Bonaire and the surrounding islands and countries reflect on the important, beautiful but also difficult profession of prison guard. Traditionally, the Guards’ Day starts with a church service and ends with a celebration full of fun, song and dance.
Employees wear a ceremonial uniform on this day so that they can proudly display the uniform and the workplace. It is a day on which there is time to reflect together on what they stand for as employees and what contribution they make to a safer society.
Together with Bonaire, the countries of Curaçao , Sint Maarten, Aruba and Suriname organises in the beginning of October a week full of sports, games and socialising every year. This year it was Aruba's turn. The week also included discussions on cooperation between the countries. This year, twinning was started between the establishments, with Bonaire as the central knowledge centre, appointed from the Judicial Four-Country Consultation in which the ministers of SXM, Aruba, Curaçao and the Netherlands are represented. The directors of the establishments also express hope that Suriname can join the cooperation.
The Guards’week and Guards’ Day provides for knowledge exchange, but above all fraternisation and relaxation, because that is appropriate within this work from time to time. All countries are already looking forward to next time. Next year it will be Suriname's turn for the Guards' week.