Prison on Caroni lands

Joseph made the announcement at the Prisons Service inter-faith service at the Arima Presbyterian Church yesterday. When contacted by Newsday after the service, Joseph did not expand on what were “the key facilities.” When asked if a new prison would be built on Caroni lands, Joseph responded by saying that all he had to say was said in his speech.

The announcement comes at a time when 38 former Caroni workers have filed for Judicial review of the decision of Cabinet to refuse to abide by its promises and assurances that they would be given priority in accessing lands belonging to Caroni Ltd for agricultural and residential use. The workers claim that when they took VSEP in 2003, Government promised them priority in getting the lands. They argue that Government has since reneged on that promise.

Although 38 workers filed the action, it affects 9,000 former Caroni employees. The case was called earlier this month and adjourned to September 21 to begin before Justice Lennox Deyalsingh.

The 100 acres which Joseph spoke about yesterday is a small part of Caroni lands which are up for grabs.

In his address yesterday, Joseph said his ministry had identified three strategic planning periods (2005 to 2009, 2010 to 2014 and 2015 to 2019) through which it said it could see Government’s aim to transform TT into a developed nation by 2020 being realised.

Stating that prison reform was a key component in Government’s efforts to reduce crime in TT, Joseph said his ministry had already started to implement initiatives outlined in the 2002 task force report on prison reform.

He said the Prisons Service has been bolstered by the addition of 485 new officers and a further 1,588 positions will be created and filled over the period 2007 to 2011. The minister added that “no resource has been spared” to ensure that persons at all levels of the Service are exposed to the highest levels of local and international training.

In terms of improving prison infrastructure, Joseph said Cabinet has approved the transfer of 100 acres of land from Caroni to the Service to “facilitate the construction of a number of key facilities.” He pointed out that the construction of a new prison in Tobago, a nursery at the Women’s Prison at Golden Grove, and the reconstruction of the dormitories at the Golden Grove Prison were being pursued in order to remedy deficiencies in the prison infrastructure such as overcrowding at some of these facilities.

The minister also revealed that Police Commissioner Trevor Paul had visited penal facilities in Israel and Colombia in order to see what practices in those systems could be used successfully in TT. Noting that a major emphasis of prison reform was a focus on rehabilitation and restoration of prisoners, Joseph praised the role played in these efforts by the Council of Prisons Chaplains and Ministers (COPCAM). He said the religious and spiritual values which COPCAM is attempting to instill in inmates would give them hope and “the skills necessary for re-entering society as productive and responsible citizens.”

Joseph also said the issues of drug trafficking and drug use in the prison were being addressed.