Prisoners clean up Kokopo
THE Kokopo-Vunamami urban local level government (KVULLG) in Kokopo, East New Britain has engaged prisoners from Kerevat jail to clean the city.
Kokopo city manager Freddy Lemeki told The National yesterday that it was part of their rehabilitation.
Lemeki said the prisoners started cleaning the Department of Works area on Friday and then the road and drain leading to PNG Power Ltd power house at Ulagunan.
They also cleaned and removed rubbish at the Anderson Foodland on Monday.
Lemeki said it was going to be an ongoing programme for which a memorandum of understanding was signed between KVULLG and Kerevat jail.
He said rubbish bins were provided at all the shopping centres within the town so people needed to respect and throw their rubbish in the right place. “We must all keep Kokopo city clean and beautiful,” said Lemeki.
Meanwhile, according to Kerevat jail officer in charge of the rehabilitation programme for prisoners Cpl Abraham Tilili, prisoners doing cleaning in town areas and all the drains were convicted prisoners.
Tilili confirmed that 14 convicted prisoners were involved in cleaning around Kokopo which they have started on Friday and the cleaning was expected to finish this Friday.
“We have started cleaning at Works area where that Tammur Centre is by cutting the grass on the roadsides and also the drainage by removing all the rubbish such as plastic bags, empty bottles and baby diapers,” said Tilili.
Tilili said they would do the cleaning up all the way to Vunapope, Tropicana and Papindo at Takubar.
8 comments
Use of prisoners to do manual labor has a long history in other countries. However, recently there have been issues raised by human rights organisations if this is similar to practice of slavery. Also if prisoners are used, they need to be paid, at least minimum wage. If they are working for free, this may amount to abuse of prisoners.
Thats right, not supposed to do extra slavery apart from their term prison. They are working for nothing, please just pay them at least they have something.
Thats extra labour work
Thats right, not supposed to do extra slavery apart from their term prison. They are working for nothing, please just pay them at least they have something.
Thats extra labour work
Albert, AJYA and Roney a prsoner is a criminal for a start. To what degree/level of slavery are you refering to? Why would you pay a criminal who is serving his term for stealing thousands of kina and eating free food? This is what is refered to as community work and as the jail commander stated it’s part of the rehabilitaion of the prisioners so when they finish their term they can do something worthy back in their communities instead of going into criminal activities again. And guess what, Kerevat jail prisoners LOVE this engagement as the local community come forward to give them food for FREE as appriciation. Just leave ENB alone or learn something from this and stop being negative but be constructive…..KOINA.
This is part of the the requirement in the rehabilitation program. by doing that ol bai tanim bel na become good citizen of the country when they leave the prison after finishing their terms.
This is part of the the requirement in the rehabilitation program. by doing that ol bai tanim bel na become good citizen of the country when they leave the prison after finishing their terms.
No need to pay them. I don’t see this as slavery. They are already having three meals a day. Free of charge. About 90% of Papua New Guineans only have one or two meals a day. In addition it is part of their community service
We work for two weeks to get paid in order to have something for us and our family to eat. They are having free meals without having to pay for it. We the tax payers are paying for it.
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