Rwanda Correctional Services (RCS), is considering organising various trainings to enable the 150 staff it recently laid off acquire new employable skills to help them be competitive in other institutions.This was said yesterday by the Commissioner General of RCS, Maj. Gen. Paul Rwarakabije, in an interview with The New Times shortly after meeting the laid off staff at Kigali central prison commonly known as 1930.At the meeting, the former staff were briefed about the reasons they were dismissed following several complaints of unlawful and unfair dismissal.“The meeting was aimed at making more clarifications concerning RCS’s decision to dismiss you as officials who were in charge of discipline at various camps for the Genocide convicts serving their alternative sentences, and I want to tell you that this was not done unfairly as some claim because we followed the rules and regulations governing any public servant,” Rwarakabije told the former staff.Rwarakabije urged them to apply for prison warder jobs saying they would be given first priority when recruitment begins.The official also said plans for compensations to those dismissed are underway but noted that it would be after RCS gets approval for its 2012-2013 budgets.He added that his institution will also give them a certificate of appreciation for their outstanding performance during the years they have been employed with RCS saying this will work as a proof for their good reputations.Valentine Habumugisha, one of those dismissed, said, “I thank RCS for organising this meeting because it has enabled us to get relevant information regarding our laying off, but I urge them to give us our compensations as soon as possible since it’s our right.” Grace Uwera, another laid off staff, said: “I am happy with the explanations we have got from the Commissioner General of RCS and I personally look forward to collaborating with this institution whenever they need my assistance.”
