Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre gets a boost - Newport Mills Ltd partners with Ministry of National Security to provide impetus

Newport Mills Limited (NPM), manufacturers of Nutramix, has partnered with the Ministry of National Security to install two new 9,000-square- foot broiler units at the Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre (TFACC). The investment, valued at J$30 million, includes the installation of the broiler units, expertise on design and training. Newport Mills Ltd designed and managed the project, and donated J$ 7 million in goods and services.

The project is a move towards the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) becoming self-sufficient in food production, while at the same time providing the inmates with technical skills that will help them to reintegrate into society upon their release, as part of the rehabilitation through agriculture programme.

The facility will house a total of 9,000 chickens and includes a slaughterhouse, bathroom, processing equipment and storage room, refrigeration unit and feed bin. The poultry production programme is expected to produce near to 100,000 kilogrammes of broiler meat and represent approximately 40 per cent of total inmate consumption, saving the DCS approximately J$13 million annually.

“This is a small project in the grand scheme of things, but it will have a huge and immediate impact,” Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of National Security, Matthew Samuda, said. “It will save the DCS millions annually, so it is clear that this is not just chicken feed. While the money saved is nothing to scoff at, the rehabilitation of the inmates is one more step in the right direction. The country suffers from a reoffending rate of about 40 per cent, so every effort to improve the quality of our rehabilitation efforts is a step in reducing crime and providing greater citizen security, and giving inmates a sense of pride.”

TRAINING SEMINARS

In addition to the construction of the units, correctional officers and inmates participated in training seminars hosted by Nutramix in poultry production. Fifteen correctional officers and eleven inmates have completed the training and will be presented with certificates.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Nutramix’s Regional Sales Manager, Winston Thomas, said: “The project comes as an opportunity to give back to Jamaica and make a difference – it is not just about producing meat, but also about the knowledge that will be gained by the inmates. A lot of persons doing poultry farming in Jamaica were never really technically trained, so they lack in knowledge. This programme will provide that knowledge to the inmates so that they can go back into their communities and make a meaningful life for themselves and their families.”

Under the partnership, correctional officers and intimates will receive ongoing training and guidance from the Nutramix technical team.