Premier Ewart Brown and his Cabinet held their latest meeting in jail in an attempt to bridge the gap between prisoners and the rest of society.

The Premier and his Ministerial colleagues chatted to inmates and staff as they were taken on a tour of Westgate Correctional Facility ahead of yesterday's Cabinet meeting. The meeting itself took place in one of the prison's rooms.

Dr. Brown said he wanted to reassure prisoners that they are not cast adrift and will be welcomed back into society if they are prepared to change their lives on their release.

He said: "The purpose of taking Cabinet to Westgate for this week's meeting is simple. We have a sector of Bermuda's society about whom much is said and little is verified.

"Along with my colleagues in Cabinet, we want these young men to know that they are not cast away, nor are they forgotten.

"This community is as much theirs as anyone else's and we want them to know that once their debt to society is paid and if they are willing to change their lives we are there to assist.

"Genuine social rehabilitation is our pledge and we must take every step to break the cycle of destructive behaviour that plagues some of our young men."

Staff at Westgate declined to comment when contacted by The Royal Gazette yesterday.