Acceptance is the key.

These are the sentiments of Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama, while officially opening the Second Heads of Pacific Island Corrections Conference in Suva this morning.

With the theme" Towards A Better Approach To Corrections Practice for the Pacific" Bainimarama said unless there is acceptance, the full integration of prisoners back into society and them living as law-abiding citizens, may not be successfully achieved.

The Interim Prime Minister said as heads of correctional facilities the greatest challenge they will face is changing the mindset of those they work with, adding this will take time and requires managing the change process with sensitivity and wisdom.

He said offenders require leadership that will help them make the change also saying that as leaders, heads of correctional facilities play a huge role in promoting the message, that the rehabilitation and safe reintegration of offenders into the community is a collective social responsibility.

Bainimarama said he hopes that during this week long conference, leaders develop strategies and action plans to get the wider public to be partners in the rehabilitation exercise.

The conference, which includes 11 pacific island countries, ends this Thursday.