Abandoned prison to reopen

The National National

By PETER WARI
THE abandoned Hawa prison in Hela will reopen this month following a tripartite signing of a working agreement by Correctional Services, the Hela government and landowners.
The memorandum of understanding was signed on Saturday under the watch of provincial magistrate Samson Tatakali, deputy chief Magistrate Mark Pupaka and Tari-Pori MP and Finance Minister James Marape.
Hela administrator William Bando, who has been instrumental in moves to reopen the jail, said he was pleased and was looking forward to it.
Bando told The National that the Hawa prison was abandoned more than 20 years, mainly because of tribal fighting in the area but despite that the properties had been left untouched.
It closed in 1997 during a drought, then attempts to reopen it was disrupted by tribal conflicts in the area.
Bando said the reopening of the Hawa jail would now be completed.
“The next priority is to strengthen the police prosecution unit so that district court committals can be increased to feed the soon-to-be-reopened Tari National Court which is closed due to the  death of our foundation judge,” he said.
Bando said last week the entire warring clans and neighbouring clans came out in an unprecedented move of unity to clean the place. “People are embracing peace at last and soon convicted lawbreakers will do their
time at Hawa prison again,” he said.
“It is expected that the jail will be formally handed over to the CS who now has had 15 technical staff on the ground since the February 26 earthquake destroyed properties worth millions of kina in Hela,” he said.
Bando said that with the absence of a prison, law and order was a main issue in the province and inmates were either
taken to Buiebi in Southern Highlands or Baisu in Western Highlands.
It was a costly exercise and also risky for Correctional Services.
He said that since the signing of the agreement, officers had moved to Hawa CS and the villagers had returned the keys.
Bando, on behalf of Hela government, thanked the landowners for their cooperation, for embracing peace and supporting the work of the justice sector.