The Ministry of National Security this morning issued a release outlining the £25 million deal with the United Kingdom to build a prison here that would see up to 300 Jamaicans currently imprisoned in the UK completing their sentences here.
The Government has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UK to improve the conditions under which prisoners are held in Jamaica, consistent with best practice and international human rights standards, through the construction of a maximum-security prison here, the ministry explained.
According to the release, the new facility would accommodate between 1,500 and 2,000 inmates, the mi.
“Provision would be made for up to three hundred Jamaicans serving prison sentences in the UK, and subject to deportation at the end of their sentences, to be transferred to this new prison to complete their sentences” the release said.
Key features of the MOU, as outlined by the National Security Ministry
Some important elements of the MOU are:
The Government of the UK has committed to a grant of Twenty Five Million British Pounds for the construction of the new facility and a further Five and a Half Million British Pounds towards the reintegration and resettlement of prisoners. At current exchange rates these commitments equate to approximately Five and a Half Billion Jamaican Dollars.
The Jamaican Parliament would have to pass framework legislation to allow for a prisoner transfer agreement to be signed with the UK. It is anticipated that every prisoner transfer request under the new legislation and agreement would be subject to both an administrative and judicial review process in Jamaica.
The balance of the funding for the new prison will have to be identified by the GOJ and could include proceeds from the disposal of the Tower Street Correctional Centre and St Catherine District Adult Correctional Centre.
Benefits to Jamaica:
There are substantial benefits that would accrue to Jamaica:
This new facility would allow the Department of Correctional Services to abandon the 17th and 19th century prisons that house thousands of Jamaican prisoners – most of whom are not hardened criminals – in harsh, overcrowded and dilapidated facilities.
The new facility will be designed and constructed with a focus on rehabilitation, which should reduce the high rates of recidivism that now occur. It will benefit from modern architectural design and equipment that will increase both security and operational efficiency.
Downtown Kingston will have the opportunity for a large greenfield redevelopment on the thirty acres of waterfront land now occupied by the prison. A similar opportunity for redevelopment would be provided in Spanish Town.
The Ministry of National Security believes these understandings represent a good deal for Jamaica by addressing the inhumane conditions in our prison facilities without having to divert huge financial resources from education, health, or vital infrastructure. There are hundreds of Jamaicans deported every year to Jamaica, having served prison sentences for drug related or violent offences in the USA or the UK, without the benefit of a structured reintegration process. Accelerating the return of a small percentage of these Jamaicans through a structured rehabilitation and reintegration process is a reasonable trade-off for a dramatic improvement in our prison conditions.
NO SAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Suh is downtown di prison a go deh?? look pan di so called benefits too..Portia a looooooooooooo
Okay, two prime piece of real estate is a benefit, but is the rest of benefit going to be tourism of the prison? 😀
Met, you no see that Bunting prematurely let the puss out the bag the other day! and this shit isn’t some pass week idea. Wonder if a St. Ann dem ago build the prison since dem did so determine fi put and left rocking dolly ova de?
_______________________________________________________ dem seh down town or spanish town..one next minister seh todeh pan di radio how is because dem need a prison and cant afford to build one why dem jumping on this idea…the 25million pounds is jus 40% dem need di next 60 and dem a go get 5.5 million pounds over the course of 5 years…cameron seh di money a fi investment..u nuh think all a dem fi put ina one barrel and roll out to sea?
hI WE ALREADY FIGHTING POLLUTION…DEM BAD BREED DE ONLY AGO SUCK THE SALT OUT A THE SEE :d
pp
De one thiefing (me nah correct de spelling) patterson did say is time to start build at the 2 piece meal “D gathering. That bastard is ALL up inna the bullshit, one track decisions you see big foot mek!
Him nah no batty fi go tend to him de bout the place as puppet master? Portia feel obligated to him still?
All Paul Burke wid the voters list…humpf me not even ago rinse him file…Hi shernett
De one thiefing (me nah correct de spelling) patterson did say is time to start build at the 2 piece meal “D gathering. That bastard is ALL up inna the bullshit, one track decisions you see big foot mek!
Him nah no batty fi go tend to him de bout the place as puppet master? Portia feel obligated to him still?
All Paul Burke wid the voters list…humpf lord intimidator/enforcer, lol his file I shall not even soil my fingertips with…Hi she—-t :think:
it is said that the rest of funding will come from the sale from GP and St.Catherine prison ….yuh know a deh suh mi kin rite ova nd seh look how the Hon. Portia Simpson-Miller kill off Jamaica land we love doah….which 60% dem prison ago cova :nerd
Uhh….is anybody paying attention to the J$8.6 billion dollars in spending cuts announced yesterday? Some are attributing it to a shortfall in revenue. Revenue usually means the amount of tax collected. Warning to all Jamaicans, tax hikes are in the near future.
This is good news because GP has outserved it’s useful life. A new detention facility is desperately needed. In addition to that, General Penitentiary is sitting on a prime piece of real estate. Great location for condos and commercial space. I’d like to see sidewalk cafes, bars(coffee or otherwise), and restaurants near the waterfront.
Maybe mi head tuff, but all now mi nuh understand deze benefits. When me tink bout di term ‘benfits’ mi tink bout something positive and valuable, a reward, mi just doan understand di benefit in dis case. As mi seh, mebbie a my skull a di problem.
no benefit jus a bag a rambling
A wey de rass dis doe eeh? So when de new prison build, wey de funding going to come from to tek care a dese prisoners, or a Princess Anne a go contribute to dat, like how she a come a yaad fe visit to?
come talk up chronixx you had a lot to say when the president visited. BOB MARLEY NOT HERE TO HIT THE STUDIO on this one …..THE ISLAND TURN NEW DAY FRENCH GUIANA but atleast that island only house the rejects from france….ENGLAND SMH . THAT QUEEN SMH …..I TELL YOU THEY WILL THE FIRST ONE ON THE MARS TRYING TO ENSLAVE THE MARTIANS THEM AS SOON AS THEY FIND THEM…….THEY NEED TO ENSLAVE SOMEBODY TO BUILD BACK THEM ECONOMY FOR WORLD POWER. SUCK YOU DRY AND LEAVE U …..
Jamaicans shudda have dem own way ina England as dem have a like to how di ting set..water deh pan mars mi waa dem run go and go seh di martians dem need di slavery because dem not civilized..ah never see a set a people so greedy like white people
as yuh seh dat mi frighten wen dem seh 100 ppl already volunteer to geh all the woman she bout she would go and leave her two kids and husband dem just a try find out where the water coming from as if a dat dem deh deh a look..if dem eva see something weh close to looking like a being it’s a wrap
Met what is happen why so many countries are now showing interest in jamaica.USA,England,Russia,China, I don’t know but I think something is not right.
Remember we in the last days…everybody a look fi join forces
THE PEOPLE WHO HEAD JAMAICA EASY FI TURN IN A IDIOT …all the countries that show interest are only interested in what little is left if any ….they show them a shiny mirror in the sun and give them in exchange for coffee, sugar , aluminum , 40 YEAR TOLL ROADS AND BRIDGE revenue. then after 40 years when it a drop down they pack up leave. see u soon need license to fish for lobster .hmmmmm ….the sad thing is history show that dem sell out everything and them own nothing but buy everything . remember the minister who had bought shit ( manure) from abroad like enough shit huh there already .
Dem money hungry and frighten that is all..As u dangle some cash infront a dem they are ready to dance however and wherever
What get mi is how Portia knew what the man was coming for and up to the last minute she never said a thing to the public. She is unfit to run the country, that is disgusting and disrespectful
portia soon gone ….A bag a flour and everybody FORGET . not surprised she did it like that . we are the idiots for allow them to do us like that . like i said mi hungry fatherless son look through the zink roof and get inspired by the big house on beverly hills that the man have . GOD BLESS US UNTIL IT GET BETTER
It nah go get better until the people realize dem deserve better and demand it..they dont want to push for education because it a go mek people get sense…btw didnt obama give 70 mil for education…where dat go?? nuh whey day dem short a bench fi school?
There was a test case in 2007 and it was ruled that it would be illegal to lock up anyone in jamaica for crimes not commited in Jamaica except to facilitate extradition .
I know Cameron don’t really have very smart advisors but who is advising the Jamaican government ?
Is Portia memory that weak ? Don’t she remember rejecting this offer before on legal basis ?
Neither PNP nor JLP mean good for this f**kin country. Everybody push hard fi win election with one purpose in mind, fi thief as much as dem can while dem in power. Dehso di ting deh. When JLP get the likkle run wha day, Audley Shaw dem come wid bad man mentality and bring on all kinda measures and taxes. Him not even beg and plead with the ppl dem, di man come pon tv and basically say, PNP f**k up the country, so unnuh affi go pay fi dat. PNP a thief, JLP a thief, the only thing wha mek PNP fly a true dem hug u up and sweet u up while dem a rob u. JLP rob u by gun point like bad man.
@pro could’ve have said it better both parties hve the same agenda, to get has much as they can while in power..the innocent ppl of the island suffers..my dream was to one day retire in my birty land off my investment on the island I’ve long awaken from that dream..God bless Jamaica land we love..Shela
@SmartSource that’s a great idea for the waterfront, however, They would have to get rid of southside, telaviv and ova d gully dere suh. N that is not happening no time soon. Those ppl don’t realize that they are living on very expensive real estate for Jamaica. If the govt serious the waterfront could be a great stimulus for d economy.