Order in jails a priority

By ZACHERY PER
SIXTY prisoners escaped from Beon jail in Madang and 50 from Buimo, outside Lae, last year.
The figures, enormous by any standard, were revealed by Correctional Services Commissioner Martin Balthasar as the annual CS Commanders’ conference got underway in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, yesterday.
Balthasar detailed reports of performances of each jail in the four regions and called for improved performances this year.
He pointed out strengths and weaknesses of each jail and said the Northern region performed poorly as far as the CS corporate plan and key performance outcome was concerned.
He said the deputy commissioner’s operations and regional directors were to ensure containment of prisoners and control of each jail was of the highest order this year.
“As commissioner, I must stress to you these realities. I will take disciplinary action on the regional commanders and provincial jail commanders,” Balthasar said.
The conference has embraced the theme “Accelerating and Implementing the Basics to Enhance Progress and Development in Prisons”, consistent with the theme of the government leaders’ summit  – “Accelerating Implementation”.
“The core value of implementation delivery is not so much the quantity of financial resources, rather it is the accountability, acquittals, audits and project monitoring and reporting on delivery or failure,” Balthasar said.
The week-long conference was opened by Eastern Highlands Governor Julie Soso.
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