Staff plan to stop work

PRISON staff in Daru are planning to stop work on Friday and hand over the keys to the Correctional Services department in Port Moresby.
Prison acting commander Inspector Dura Geru told The National that they could not work anymore in the squalid and unhealthy conditions.
They were promised more than four weeks after an outbreak of typhoid at the facility that the department would address the issues.
“We will stop work on Friday and give the keys back,” Geru said.
“We will see who will take the responsibility to look after the prisoners.”
Geru said warders were frustrated and disappointed with the delay in response from the Correctional Services department.
“We are also not getting allowance for working extra hours,” he said.
“We are weak and tired from managing normal operation and looking after sick prisoners.”
Geru said prison headquarters should tell them what the next step would be.
“When will the eviction happen?” he said.
“We are still waiting and officers who are already treated cannot be sick again.”
No comment could be obtained from the CS headquarters.
Daru prison currently has 66 inmates – 51 convicted prisoners and 15 on remand.
There are 35 prison officers.