Hela donates K200,000, vehicle to help get jail back online

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By JACKLYN SIRIAS
THE Hela government has committed K200,000 and a vehicle to Correctional Services to reopen the Hawa jail.
Governor Philip Undialu, when presenting the cheque to the CS Commissioner Michael Waipo yesterday, said before Hela became a province the jail was left idle for about 20 years.
“The K200,000 cheque is a start-up capital to get the tickets and your officers down to do the clean up to demonstrate that you are serious in business and we are here to support your operations down there as this money is given to start the operation as soon as possible,” the governor said.
Undialu said further allocations would be made for fencing, road upgrading and other facilities to the correctional institution.
“This is a dream come true for us and we look forward to a successful 2018.”
He said the cheque presentation was part of the MOU that was signed between the CS and Hela government on Sept 14 when both of them agreed to work together to restore the Hawa CS institution.
“The reopening of the Hawa institution has been a long journey for both the provincial government and the CS authority, since 1997,” Undialu said.
He said when the first time El Nino hit the province, water sources dried up so the institution went into a temporary lockup.
“Over time opportunists came in, government priorities and commitment changed.
“Lack of support for the facility meant it was left to deteriorate,” he said.