The reconstruction of the structure that was torched at the Lusignan Prison on Sunday appears unlikely, according to de facto Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, who says that expansion works at other prison facilities will create the capacity for the housing of more inmates.
Ramjattan told a news conference yesterday that he was unsure about reconstructing “anything substantial” at the Lusignan facility, while also noting that the completion of the Mazaruni and Georgetown Prisons is presently the main priority.
“In relation to the reconstruction of this now, we have no allocation for the year 2020 as yet. This is going to be very difficult in these circumstances…I do not know if we want to put anything substantial there in view of the massive nature of the reconstruction going on in Mazaruni, that the first phase would take on 200 prisoners and the second phase will take on another 200, so that’s 400 prisoners. The steel cells that are going up at the Georgetown Prisons will take on 180… and we do have some arrangements for New Amsterdam expansion. So we really wanted to come out of a Lusignan scenario, so the long term planning might not involve any major reconstruction,” he explained.
The building which was destroyed on Sunday after unrest at the Lusignan Prison housed the administrative office, kitchen and facilities for approximately 185 to 190 prisoners.
For now, Ramjattan said, the focus is to “quickly put up” the kitchen which was destroyed so that the 581 inmates who are being temporarily housed at Holding Bay Four can be fed.
“The fact, however, is that we will have to feed in the vicinity of 581 prisoners now in the Lusignan bay and that means we will have to quickly put up the kitchen, which was burnt yesterday because you got to feed them and that kitchen we will have to do some arrangement….so that those 581 could be fed. So I don’t think at this stage, there will be major rehabilitation works or construction works there,” Ramjattan further stated.
Meanwhile, Prisons Director Gladwin Samuels said that efforts are still being made to have the expansion of the Mazaruni Prison and the rebuilding of the Georgetown Prison completed.
“Because those two facilities have not yet been completed, we have not been able to relocate an additional set of prisoners from the Holding Bay,” he said.
According to Samuels, works at the two facilities were halted on April 2nd and 3rd, respectively following the COVID-19 outbreak. “Had it not been for COVID, phase one of Mazaruni Prison, which has the capacity to accommodate 200 prisoners, would have been completed,” Samuels noted.
He further related that the contractors have since requested permission to restart work at the facilities and this is likely to be granted once every outlined requirement is met for working during the pandemic. “The prison service has put together a document which the Permanent Secretary will receive today as it relates to our requirements for those construction workers who are seeking to return to the Mazaruni Prison. I am advised that the contractors for Georgetown Prison have indicated the same and they will be seeking to restart. Providing that they can meet the requirements we have outlined we have no problem in terms of allowing them into the construction space to recommence the work. It is only at that point, when we have alternative secure facilities to facilitate the transfer of prisoners from the holding facility, we will be able to do so,” Samuels explained.
