Simitab: Daru jail unfit for inmates

By URSULA-JANE BOGG
UPNG journalism student
THE people Western have faced many problems and disturbances by prisoners since the closure of Daru Jail in 2005, Governor Ati Wobiro told parliament yesterday.
“Prisoners in Daru are out there, with no jail at all since 2005, causing fear for the people of Daru and creating a lot of problems,” he said.
He said he wanted to know what the government was going to do about it and whether the jail would be relocated.
Minister for Correctional Services Jim Simitab said health authorities had ordered the jail closed as it was unfit to house inmates.
“We have received K800,000 from the member for South Fly and this will be used to reopen the jail in January, with the approval of health authorities,” he said.
He said while awaiting orders to send inmates from there to Bomana prison in Port Moresby, and Lingorum in Kiunga, those inmates would remain in the province but be closely monitored by the Correctional Services there.
“Daru is a small island with an exploding population and we will look into the matter that the jail be relocated to the mainland and state land will be released to other developers on the island,” Simitab said.