PMUC kicks off end-of-year festivities for inmates of Douala Central Prison

The citizens’ friendly enterprise, Pari Mutuel Urbain Camerounais, PMUC, in what has become an annual tradition for almost two decades, on December 18, 2014, kicked off end-of-year festivities for the over 3000 inmates of the Douala Central Prison commonly known as New Bell Prison.

The occasion was the prize award ceremony of the annual multi discipline sports competition organized by ‘Association Sportive Pluridisciplinaire et Culturelle’, ASPLUDIC of the New Bell Prison, and funded by PMUC. The annual sports and cultural jamboree at the New Bell Prison is dubbed, ASPLUDIC – PMUC Tournament.

Meanwhile, the annual ceremony for the award of prizes of the ASPLUDIC-PMUC Tournament that is designed to always hold in the month of December, is also an occasion for PMUC to make huge material donations meant to enable the Inmates of New Bell Prison to also take part in the end of year festivities – Christmas and New Year Celebrations.

The donations are handed over to the Registrar of the New Bell Prison, who receives them on behalf of the inmates. At the December 18 ceremony, PMUC donated among others 10 bags of rice, 10 bags of garri, 12 cartons of sugar, 10 cartons of cooking oil, 10 bags of salt, 5 bags of groundnuts, 10 cartons of washing soap, and 20 cartons of bathing soap (antiseptic).

Gratitude Of Inmates TO PMUC

The inmates all exploded with joy over the donations made by PMUC, which they fondly call the Father Christmas of the inmates of New Prison. The designated Spokesperson of the inmates of New Bell Prison, Hassan Mohamed, expressed the profound gratitude of the inmates to PMUC, for the humanitarian gestures that the enterprise regularly make to inmates of the prison. “We have toady already started our end of year festivities, thanks to PMUC”, he declared amidst thunderous applause by his mates.

The Spokesperson noted that the general tendency in the society is that when somebody is unfortunately sent to prison, those outside forget about him or her. He said the inmates of New Bell Prison find it really consoling that there is a citizens’ friendly enterprise (PMUC) out there, that shows genuine sympathy for their plight, and manifest unlimited generosity towards them.

He assured the management of PMUC that the inmates are committed to follow the advice that the management often give them, that when they eventually serve their prison terms and regain their freedom, they should strive to live a responsible and Law abiding life in society, and thus avoid returning to prison.

As for the 2014 ASPLUDIC-PMUC Tournament that took place at the prison, the Spokesperson of the inmates noted that the exciting sports completion which lasted for a number of months saw a very heavy participation. Sign of the popularity of the competition. As many as 14 teams for example, took part in the male football competition, which was won by BANKO FC.

The Spokesperson asserted that the ASPLUDIC-PMUC Tournament, does not only provide the inmates with an opportunity to practice sports and keep fit, but that it also helps to reduce stress in the inmates as well as reduce tension amongst the inmates. He said the prisoners were so grateful to PMUC for the sports event. High Level Of Sports Competition

Meanwhile the Registrar of the New Bell Prison, Dieudonné Mintsang Engonga, who was personally present at the occasion, in an address joined the voice of the administration of the prison to that of the inmates, to laud PMUC for its show of solidarity to the inmates. He said the importance of the donations that PMUC has over the years been making to the prison to enable the inmates to also participate in end of year festivities, can not be overemphasized.

As for the 2014 ASPLUDIC-PMUC Tournament, the Prison Registrar noted that the December 8 ceremony to award prizes officially marked the end of this year’s sports and cultural jamboree at the prison, which is organized thanks to PMUC. He said the administration of the prison was greatly impressed with the good organization of the 2014 edition of the ASPLUDIC-PMUC Tournament, as well as with the high level of the competition.

“The high level of football that was displayed in some of the matches, reminded one of the good old days of our National First Division Championship”, Engonga declared as he looked back with nostalgia at Cameroon football of the good old days.

“PMUC Has Not Forgotten About You”

Meanwhile the Board Chairman of PMUC was ably represented at the December 18 occasion at the New Bell Prison by his adviser, Gerard Atangana. In an address at the occasion, the PMUC Board Chairman’s representative reassured the inmates of the New Bell Prison that PMUC has not, and will never forget them. He extended the greetings of the management and entire personnel of PMUC nationwide, to the inmates.

Atangana said PMUC is conscious of the fact that because of their imprisonment, the inmates will spend the end of year period away from their families and friends, or love ones.

He said it is in a bid to enable the inmates to be also part of end-of-year celebrations, that PMUC in its solidarity with the inmates has made it a duty for close to two decades now, to annually make the donations of foodstuffs and other basic needs to the inmates, close to Christmas Day.

The PMUC Board Chairman’s representative asserted that the inmates certainly never chose to be in prison, but found themselves in that situation because they definitely had problems with the Law, in a country that is governed by the rule of Law.

He reiterated the regular advice of the PMUC management to the inmates of the New Bell Prison, that they strive to commit themselves to the pledge that when each and everyone of them eventually leaves prison and return to the society, they will strive to avoid doing anything that can again land them in jail.

Atangana stressed that all what the management of PMUC demands in the pack of friendship between the prisoners and the citizens’ friendly enterprise, is that the inmates should strive to be God fearing, and thus be Law abiding or good citizens, when they serve their imprisonment terms , regain their liberty and return to society.

As for the 2014 edition of ASPLUDIC-PMUC Tournament, Atangana congratulated all those who participated in the games, especially the winners as well as the organizers. He was also happy with the reports about the fair play attitude that prevailed during the competition.

Prize Awards

Meanwhile the 2014 ASPLUDIC – PMUC Tournament featured quite a number of sports disciplines like football, volley-ball, Basket-ball, Songo, Lido as well as ‘female games’. The winners of all the team sports and individual games received trophies and cash prizes from PMUC.

The highest scorer in the men’s football competition, as well as the best player at the finals, also received cash prizes. In its typical style of encouraging losers, PMUC also dished out envelopes as consolation prizes to runners-up or teams that lost at the finals.

In the men’s football, the team that won the third place also received a consolation prize. Also, in its policy of encouraging all groups to participate in the sports jamboree, PMUC also gave envelopes to teams of minors, disabled persons and elderly persons in the New Bell Prison, that participated in the sports completion.

Meanwhile with the annual ASPLUDUC-PMUC Tournament at New Bell Prison being not only a sport but also a cultural festival, the December 18 occasion was graced by rich cultural displays by several traditional dance groups, as well as choir groups, all in the prison.

It is worth noting that among other dignitaries at the occasion, was the Littoral Regional Delegate of Penitentiary Administration.