The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General:

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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in this Honourable House to welcome the new Superintendent of Prisons, Mr. Don Roche. Superintendent Roche began his career in adult corrections in 1982 and has more than 30 years of service in the field of corrections.

During his career, Superintendent Roche worked at the St. John’s Lock-up and the Salmonier Correctional Institute, but spent the majority of his career at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary where he served as a duty captain, a training captain and Assistant Superintendent of Operations. His previous leadership experience within our prison system is extremely valuable and he is very well respected amongst his colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, Superintendent Roche has significant experience in the field of training and has provided mentorship and guidance within adult corrections throughout the province. He is a recipient of the Corrections Exemplary Service Medal and was a certified Suicide Intervention Skills Trainer and a certified Use of Force Instructor.

I have great confidence in the professional and hard-working staff we have at our correctional facilities and we are very fortunate to have Superintendent Roche in this role as we work to strengthen the justice system in Newfoundland and Labrador.

I ask all Honourable members to join me in welcoming Superintendent Roche and thank him for taking on this important role.

Thank you.