Gov’t pledges more consultations with Hartlands residents before prison is built
Published:Friday | February 17, 2023 | 12:54 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
The government plans to have several consultations with residents of Hartlands, St Catherine, before constructing a multi-billion-dollar state-of-the-art prison in their community.
This comes in the wake of complaints by residents of the farming community that the government is moving full steam ahead to build the prison without addressing their concerns.
They highlighted lingering issues with not having regular water supply, a lack of clarity on benefits to be derived, poor road conditions, and a dust nuisance.
“Consultations will be part of the process. We just have not got to that process as yet. There are a number of consultations that will take place as we develop this facility. We are in the early stages,” said minister of state in the Ministry of National Security, Zavia Mayne, in a Gleaner interview on the sidelines of the handover ceremony of birth certificates to inmates at the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre on Wednesday.
Several farmers who occupy lands earmarked for the erection of the facility also said at a town hall meeting last year that prison construction was counterproductive to the state’s campaign to improve food security.
“The reports that I have been privy to suggest that the soil content there is not fit for further agriculture use and this is the reason why we capitalised on these lands,” Mayne revealed.
SCJ Holdings has reportedly set aside other lands for the farmers’ relocation.
Mayne said that the government has not made any decision on the future of the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre when the Hartlands prison is completed, but is open to considering proposals.
“What we are doing is ensuring that we have an effectively run correctional system so that persons who pass through our system can be reintegrated into society as productive human beings,” Mayne said.
He continued, “But if they want to engage us we will have this discussion with them. However, at this point, there is absolutely no consideration for this proposal.”
National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang, responding to questions at a Standing Finance Committee meeting of the House of Representatives last March, said SCJ Holdings was generous in providing 300 acres of land on which to construct a modern correctional facility to house high-security inmates.
Chang disclosed at the time that work was slated to begin on the facility in fiscal year 2022-23.