CS plans new dorms for jails

By REBECCA KUKU
Correctional Service will be rehabilitating and building new dormitories in various jails around the country to cater for the growing number of prisoners.
Commissioner Stephen Pokanis told The National that jails around the country were becoming overcrowded with the number of law offenders growing at a steady rate.
“Buimo CS Institute in Morobe is a main priority. We will be rehabilitating the institute and will build additional dormitories to house detainees and prisoners,” he said.
“Another four institutes, including the one in Milne Bay, will also be rehabilitated and new dormitories will also be built for them.”
Pokanis said they would also be building new female dormitories at East Sepik and Chimbu jails.
“For West New Britain, we have already started building their new female dormitory so it should be completed by March this year,” he said.
Pokanis said last February’s earthquake had caused structural damage to jails in the Highlands and one of their priorities will be to rehabilitate these.
“Due to the damage, some of the detainees and law offenders of the Buiebi CS Institute in Southern Highlands have been transferred to Baisu in the Western Highlands,” Pokanis said.
“We will be looking at rehabilitating the Buiebi institute as well.”
He said there were currently 19 jails in the country.
“The number of officers serving and number of detainees varies from one institute to another, due to all the institution being different in size,” Pokanis said.
“For example, Buimo supposed to have 450 detainees and 85 CS officers. However, the institution currently holds 970 detainees, which will require at least 120 CS officers.
“That is why there is a need for the Correctional Service to recruit more manpower and build new dormitories around the country.”
Pokanis said that they would start on these project once they received funding.