MPs back rural lock-ups

 By JOSEPH ANUT

OPEN MPs have thrown their full backing behind the Department of Correctional Service plans to establish District Rural Lock-ups in the country.

Acting CS Commissioner David Melange said yesterday that while there may be a few delays because of the normal government process of releasing funds, overall progress looked very promising.

“There is overwhelming support by the open members in parliament and that is a good indication of the progress we’ve made as far as this project is concerned.”

“Currently there are about 20 Members of Parliament who have fully participated in the project, while many have made commitments to assist with funding and sort out land issues,” he said.

MPs are expected to contribute K50,000 each as counterpart funding towards the establishment of lock-ups in their electorates. They will be joint partners with the CS in this project.

Eight district rural lock-ups have been constructed, while feasibility study and scope of works on Pangia, Southern Highlands, Baiyer River, Western Highlands; Lousuia, Milne Bay, and Tapini, Central, have been completed and are awaiting funding.

Scope of works and feasibility studies on sites in Pomio (East New Britian), Bena Bena (Eastern Highlands), Menyamya (Morobe), Bogia (Madang), Misima (Milne Bay), Balimo (Gulf), Laiagam (Enga) and Golgme (Chimbu) are currently being undertaken. 

Melange said that the establishment of Bulolo (Morobe), Kerema (Gulf)and Maprik (East Sepik) to prison status is on target for completion, with Bulolo to accommodate up to 300 prisoners.

He said the Department is on course to see the completion of 16 district rural lock-ups and three prisons, while work on others will be done depending on funding and other issues.

District rural lock-ups is one of three impact projects initiated by the Correctional Service in 2013 as part of its prison modernization program.

Its aim is to bring services closer to the people, reduce overcrowding in main prisons, and having low risk prisoners serve their jail sentences in their local settings.

Initially there were concerns the PNGCS 2014 Budget Appropriation was insufficient to fund the project.