Plan still in place: Pokanis

By SYLVESTER WEMURU
THE plan to move detainees from the Daru Correctional Institution is still in place, according to Correctional Service Commissioner Stephen Pokanis.
He said restrictions on flights out from border provinces such as Western, East and West Sepik and also from East New Britain had delayed the movement of detainees.
“Constant dialogue is maintained between my office and the commanding officer at Daru Correctional Institution to find alternative ways to get the detainees out as soon as possible once we get clearance from Covid-19 team at Daru airport and here at Bomana Correctional Institution before we move them.”
Pokanis said the other challenge they faced was that of space – the institution had limited dormitories to accommodate the detainees.
He said he had consulted the relevant authorities to seek help on this important matter to find ways to sort out how the detainees would be accommodated in the prison.
He said they were trying to transfer the detainees during a time when cases of Covid-19 had already been detected in the province, increasing the risk of an outbreak in the prison.
The Daru prison facility was condemned by the health authorities and the Correctional Services Department was preparing to transfer prisoners when the lockdown was declared. So far only two detainees have been transferred.