Government is to set up a construction industry training workshop to give prisoners the chance to earn and thrive upon release.

Prisoners attending the joint venture developed by the Department of Corrections, Bermuda College and the West End Development Corporation, will get early parole.

Government also promised a plan, already called for by Prisons Commissioner Bryan Payling, to make prisoners earn privileges rather than grant them automatically.

The incentives and earned privileges regime will be used to increase inmates? participation in educational and rehabilitative programmes.

Prison Officers Association chairman Craig Clarke welcomed the move.

He said: ?Getting anything in prison should be just like getting something in society ? you have to work for it.?

He also voiced approval for the construction industry workshop but cautioned that implementation was key.

?I will use this as a mandate because I have it in my hands now. If they promised it to us, I will be looking for it.?

Government has begun a joint venture with the West End Development Corporation for inmates to help redevelop the former prison Casemates.

Inmates will boost their skills and have the chance to earn.

Public Safety and Housing Minister David Burch said remedial work had begun on the dilapidated building, which began life more than 100 years ago as a Royal Naval barracks.

?We are gutting the building back to original state,? he said. ?Prisons will assist with that. The building?s history will catalogued which will take about a year.?

It has not yet been decided what to do with Casemates although suggestions have included using it as an archive, a museum and a hotel, said Sen. Burch. Government will also provide separate accommodation for inmates on the work release programmeat the Prison Farm to build a sense of trust and responsibility prior to their release.

The Throne Speech pledged to starkly reduce the rate of recidivism so that ?those who have earned a second chance are given a fair opportunity to use it?.

Mr. Clarke said prefab was already in place but it was a question of getting the manpower to run it.

He said it was important that people jailed for civil debts ? such as not paying child support ? were not put in the same building as criminals because those working outside were sometimes tempted smuggle in drugs and cell phones.

A drugs strategy for inmateswill also be developed and implemented by a team of Correctional Officers and professionals.

Tackling drugs remains a key part of Government?s agenda despite the recent leadership changes.

A facility to accommodate both male and female residential treatment programmes will be set up to ensure uninterrupted service delivery and enhanced programme oversight.

Government will establish a National Drug Information Networkto act as the information arm of the National Steering Committee for Drugs and there will be increased emphasis on community participation through the Parishes Achieving Change Together (PACT) programme which will be expanded across Bermuda