EC$30M prison facility for St. Kitts-Nevis
Judge appeals for prison reforms
By Pauline Waruguru
Nevis Reporter, SKNVibes.com
~~Adz:Right~~CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – PLANS for the construction of an EC$30M prison facility in St. Kitts and Nevis was yesterday (Dec. 22) revealed to Justice Ianthea Leigertwood-Octave at the Nevis Circuit Court.
The revelation was made by Chief Prison Officer Alvin Vasquez, who was requested to update the court on the current status of Her Majesty’s Prison after the judge had sentenced five males to that institution.
Vasquez told the court that the prison was meant to house 60 inmates, but is currently home to 247 male and three female prisoners.
He explained that of the 247 males, 207 are in St. Kitts and 40 are on the Nevis Prison Farm, while the three females are in St. Kitts and eight of the male prisoners are condemned to hang. He also said that plans were underway to build a new facility at the cost of EC$30M.
Vasquez informed that four juveniles are among those in jail after High Court convictions, to which Her Ladyship told the officer that something needed to be done to ensure that juveniles are rehabilitated away from the general population.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Paulina Hendrickson, informed the judge that efforts were being made to get an ideal rehabilitation facility for juveniles.
Justice Leigertwood-Octave enquired about the programmes that exist in the prison and if any of them addresses Adult Literacy. This was done after she had ordered a prisoner to enlist in a literacy programme because he admitted to being unable to read and write when arrested by the police.
Vasquez told the judge that an inmate is currently offering literacy classes under the supervision of a tutor from the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College in St. Kitts College. He however noted that it was extremely difficult to start any formal programme as the prison was overcrowded, noting a classroom had to be converted into cells due to over population.
Other programmes, he said, include visits by ministers of religion and an Anger Management session was organised for a cross-section of prisoners.
Her Ladyship told the officer that the aim of sending convicts to prison is to have them rehabilitated and the “relevant authorities need to ensure that resources are put in”. She said if no skills are offered to prisoners, when they leave the prison they are likely to return to a life of crime.
And in response to the judge’s question of what percentage of those less than 25 years old are in Her Majesty’s Prison, Vasquez said 30 percent.
Justice Leigertwood-Octave thanked all those who had made the November High Court Assizes successful and wished them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
