The People’s National Party Youth Organisation (PNPYO) says it is urging the Government to reject the offer of £25 million from British Prime Minister David Cameron for the construction of a prison in Jamaica.
The facility is to house Jamaicans currently incarcerated in England under a transfer deal to complete their sentences in the island.
The PNPYO says the proposed £25 million represents only 40 per cent of the projected cost of the prison, and the Government and people of Jamaica would be expected to provide the additional 60 per cent or about $6.75 billion.
The organisation said that even if the proposal was for the UK to provide the full economic cost for the construction of this facility, the Government should still reject the proposal as the maintenance cost would still be exorbitant.
“If we were to conservatively assume that this facility would house 500 inmates at any given time, a rough back of the envelope calculation of a maintenance cost of J$2,000 per day/per inmate (JS2,000 x 365 days) would amount to J$730,000 per inmate per annum. At this rough estimate the housing of 500 inmates would cost the Government of Jamaica J$365M per year,” the PNPYO argued.
In addition to the direct expenses for construction and maintenance there are significant socio-economic costs for reintegrating deported Jamaicans in society after they have served their sentences.
Britain projects that if accepted the prison proposal will save its taxpayers an estimated £10 million per year when the transfer of inmates commences in 2020.
“These attendant costs will therefore be transferred to the taxpayers of Jamaica. If it is that the British authorities are insistent that the convicted Jamaicans serve the full extent of their sentences for whatever crimes they committed in the UK, we consider it the responsibility of the UK authorities, and reject any proposal which seeks to transfer this responsibility to Jamaica and the Jamaican taxpayers,” the PNPYO said.
It added that, Jamaicans serve the full extent of their sentences for whatever crimes they committed in the UK, we consider it the responsibility of the UK authorities, and reject any proposal which seeks to transfer this responsibility to Jamaica and the Jamaican taxpayers.
the eight o’ clock news fi a read seh she rejected it effective immediately.
weh the ole head comrades deh? do you support the youngins? dwl
Mi nuh business bout nuh Party affiliation…stupid is just friggn studpid!
Where is the five star general LA Lewis when you need him……Lewis can you plz call the Queen and tell her we don’t need a prison ty
TELL U THE WOMAN NAAAH NUH HEAD !!! B4 SHE TELL THE MAN AND HIM UK GOVERNMENT BUILD A $25 MILLION FACTORY TO GIVE THEM DEPORTEE WORK WHEN THEM SEND THEM HOME