THE Suva Remand Centre in Korovou is currently facing capacity issues, with unsentenced detainees exceeding the approved limit of detainees by 87, says Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad.
Speaking during the Yellow Ribbon Walk program in Nausori yesterday, he said Government was committed to systemic prison reform, with a strong focus on rehabilitation, infrastructure development, and addressing remand overcrowding.
“Fiji currently meets the international standard of officer-to-prisoner ratio of 1.4,” Mr Prasad said.
“The average population of unsentenced people at the remand centre stands at 287, above the approved limit of 200.”
He said it was an injustice to keep people remanded for extended periods because of backlogs from the courts.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. It is injustice to remand detainees for lengthy periods of time, as the cases cannot be heard due to a backlog of cases in the court system.
“Government is therefore obligated to provide the necessary resources to allow our judiciary to interpret the law in a timely and effective manner.”
He said Government was working to clear those bottlenecks and improve access to justice.
In the medium term, he said plans were in place to upgrade infrastructure, modernise prison facilities, and embed an intelligence framework within the Fiji Corrections Service.
“Priority will be placed on improving infrastructure and design of prison facilities to be conducive to rehabilitation and security and develop incentives to reskill offenders to implement the process of reintegration.
“Under the Coalition Government, we have managed to officially open the Fiji Corrections Service Northern Division headquarters in Vaturekuka, Labasa.
“This project will ensure that facilities meet modern standards, enhance operational efficiency, and service delivery within the Northern Division and provide improved facilities for staff and better resources for managing rehabilitation programs and reducing recidivism rate among offenders.”
Mr Prasad described the Yellow Ribbon initiative as a “movement for national change” and said society must play its part.
