CS requests an increase in budget

National, Normal
Source:

By DULCIE OREKE

CORECTIONAL Services (CS) will be making a major request for allocation in next year’s budget to put up concrete walls at its major prisons.
CS Commissioner Richard Sikani said such walls would help reduce breakouts.
He said the walls would replace existing cyclone fences built in the early 1950s.
Another long-term proposal that CS would be making is to separate convicted prisoners from remandees.
Mr Sikani said most escapees are remandees waiting to appear in court and as a result of lengthy waiting periods, they resorted to breakouts.
“Convicted prisoners then follow suit,” he said, adding that another way to minimise breakouts was to categorise the prisoners.
 “Rapists, murderers, robbers and those convicted for major crimes can be placed in major prisons while the lesser ones can be held in smaller or provincial jails.
“The hardcore convicts can be locked up in any of the four major prisons in PNG,” he added.
Mr Sikani said the population boom also had a domino effect on the growing number of prisoners.
He said the colonial era had a prison population of about 2,000 nationwide compared to 6,000 today.
“Buimo prison was built to cater 460 people but is now crowded with 900 prisoners.
“Likewise, Boram, Bomana, Baisu, and others are all overcrowded.
“Prisons are not hotels where we can send inmates away just because there are no beds.
“After the warrants are signed, it was very difficult to move,” he added.