Overcrowding was synonymous with prison in the 24 years he was there, says former journalist Josefa Nata who was part of the 2000 coup that overthrew the democratically elected Mahendra Chaudhry government.

He said prisoners would be hopping over sleeping prisoners to get to the toilet.

Mr Nata said it was heartening that the new Fiji Corrections Services Commissioner Dr Jalesi Nakarawa was witnessing pressing prison issues and publicly acknowledging them.

“With a clear statement of intent to address them,” Mr Nata said.

“Overcrowding is another, like contraband, existential challenge in prison. But we can all assist to confront and alleviate it.

“It was so bad that prisoners would be sleeping under the beds, between the beds, filling up the passages, even up to the toilets. Prisoners would be hopping over sleeping prisoners to get to the toilet.”

Mr Nata said cells meant for four people often had double the number.

“The prison population is routinely above 3000 at any one time when capacity is less than half that number.

“Along with overcrowding is the attendant problem of ventilation, structurally and artificially.

“For a start, there are over 50 prisoners on a life sentence who have served almost 20 years but are still in prison.

“Life sentence has been conventionally 10 years with good behaviour. They should be released. The majority of prisoners with a sentence of one year should be on early release after serving three months.”