Two new corrections facilities were commissioned today at the Lautoka Corrections Centre in Natabua.
The new $$198,000 cell block and $218,000 mass room for remand inmates were commissioned by Minister for Justice Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
He said ensuring that tenants of the criminal justice system were served well would result in better services and better facilities for their wards.
“The last tenant of the criminal justice system, the Corrections Services in Fiji for decades was neglected,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.
“I could tell you numerous horrendous stories about the conditions within which the prisoners were kept in the corrections facilities not just in Suva but also throughout Fiji itself, whether it was here, whether it’s in Ba or Vanua Levu or Taveuni.
“The reality of the matter is that you should not neglect any of the tenants of the criminal justice system because if you do so, then your criminal justice system is not delivering what it is supposed to do.”
Fiji Corrections Services Commissioner Commander Francis Kean said the two facilities would cater for young and elderly inmates.
“The remand centre mass room now completes the package for our Lautoka Remand Centre, and now we have the appropriate accommodation, the visiting room, administrative building and the last thing that was going to be put in place was the mass room,” Mr Kean said.
“The other building was for our young and elderly prisoners. There is quite an influx of our elderly prisoners that is coming into our Corrections Centres and also for our young kids.”
