Overcrowding cause of outbreak

TUBERCULOSIS (TB) is spreading among prisoners in Buimo and it is getting worse because of overcrowding, jail commander Supt Judy Tara says.
Tara this said on Thursday in Lae that after the death of an inmate , caused by TB, a few weeks ago.
“I am calling on the authorities to allow parole for detainees who are eligible for this release to free up space,” she said.
Buimo prison reduced the number of its inmates by sending some to prisons in other centres last month.
Tara also made a statement in regard to her officers’ uniforms as well as those for the inmates.
“At the moment, many officers are dressed in civilian clothes to work and that is not proper,” she said.
“Detainees are also sharing uniforms with their friends in the cells.”
She said the inmates’ basic human rights were important and they needed to work together to maintain acceptable standards.
Tara made the comments in front of acting CS commissioner Stephen Pokanis and other assistant commissioners who attended the presentation of achievement certificates to 62 inmates following a bible study course conducted in the prison.
She added there was also a need for more space to negotiate the overcrowding that was being experienced at Buimo
While officiating at the event, Pokanis admitted that Buimo was one of the toughest prisons in the country to manage.
“Over the years, many prisoners have died while trying to escape while others escaped. Correctional Services have to be partly blamed for that,” he said.
Pokanis said the CS was set to integrate a different approach in terms of conducting rehabilitation programmes in prisons around the country which would mitigate the problems faced.
He said the concern about overcrowding and disease outbreaks in prisons was being addressed.