Renowned American chef, bestselling author and public speaker Chef Jeff and criminal justice professional Carlyle Holder, ended a four day visit to Saint Lucia last week.
Their presence was organised by Back on Track Ministries Inc as part of the newly launched CPR (Crime Prevention and Reduction) for Saint Lucia initiative, under the leadership of Keith Smith in partnership with Silhouette, represented by Kendal John.
The visit, which ran from October 15 to 20th, was intended to be a vehicle that could inspire and empower at risk youth, inmates, and ex-offenders while offering hope and a pathway to positive transformation.
Among the engagements was meeting with at risk youth from Bruceville, Vieux Fort on October 16. There Chef Jeff delivered an inspiring speech, urging the young people present to make positive choices despite the challenges they face.
On that same day, the team visited the Bordelais Correctional Facility, where Chef Jeff and Carlyle Holder spoke to approximately forty inmates inside the chapel.
Chef Jeff’s story of personal transformation after leaving prison resonated with the inmates, offering a message of hope and second chances.
On Friday, October 18, the renowned Chef delivered a motivational speech at the SDA Secondary School in Castries.
He then participated in a top-tier hands-on cooking experience with youth from Bruceville, alongside culinary students from the Castries branch of the National Skills Development Centre (NSDC).
Later that day, Chef Jeff treated the Bruceville youth to a memorable dining experience at Caribbean Pirates, in Castries.
There, he also met with ex-offenders involved in a skills-acquiring program designed to prepare them for successful re-entry into society. He encouraged them to remain committed to making wise decisions as he did after his incarceration.
The week concluded on Saturday, October 19, when Chef Jeff visited the Boys’ Training Centre where he delivered another empowering message to the young residents about pursuing their dreams and building habits that foster success.
That afternoon, Jeff and Carlyle Holder met with local spiritual leaders and urged them to play a more active role in saving Saint Lucia’s at-risk youth.
He emphasized that many incarcerated men are not inherently bad but are often victims of their environments and poor choices.
Present at the last engagement was Esther Rigobert, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, who expressed the government’s support for the initiative, extending an invitation to Chef Jeff and Carlyle Holder to return to Saint Lucia to continue their efforts.
Carlyle Holder, who has also served time, generously gifted copies of his book, Can Anything Good Come Out of Prison?, to many in attendance.
During his visit, Chef Jeff expressed his confidence in the positive influence the two men had on the island, saying, “I believe that we impacted men and women and young boys here on the island. We just pray for their success, their redemption, and their capabilities to succeed in life.”
