Land identified to relocate Kerevat prison: Pokanis

CORRECTIONAL Service Acting Commissioner Stephen Pokanis, pictured, says a new piece of land has been identified to relocate the Kerevat prison to.
The current site faces soil erosion, flooding and development projects on adjacent land.
Pokanis told The National that officials from the CS, Public Solicitor
and Public Prosecutor visited the prison and discussed the matter
with the East New Britain administration.
He said there was increasing development in the area especially on logging, cocoa farming and recently the oil palm project.
“The normal (course) of the Kerevat River has changed many times due to flooding,” he said.
“And the absence of forests has led to floods (eating into) the river bank where the institution is located.”
Pokanis said it would take years to do the planning, design, consultation and the relocation of the institute.
He said the budget would be another issue to look at when the procedural work was completed.
“Leaders and people of East New Britain especially in Rabaul are facing a very difficult time because of the flooding and soil erosion affecting them,” he said.
MPs and the provincial government are trying to help the 70,000 people in Rabaul and Gazelle.