Uproot prison, create park

In addition to the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre, the Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre and the Rio Cobre Juvenile Correctional Centre are also located in the troubled historic area.

"Spanish Town has become a dumping ground for prisoners. Whenever they release the prisoners, they just open the door and let them out in Spanish Town," he stated.

"There needs to be a whole revamping of the prison system here. They must be removed to somewhere else. That one, especially with the main gallows, is a real eyesore. Worse, they don't even upkeep the place. Who is manning that, with all that grass growing wild? Something is radically wrong!"

He believes the Government can find a business entity that is willing to partner with it to build a prison at a remote location in exchange for using the existing prison site as an amusement and entertainment park in the city.

"The only place of amusement Spanish Town has is called the Spanish Town Prison Oval on the grounds of the main prison. I'm saying knock down that thing, spread it out, make it a complete entertainment facility. There are several businesses, local and overseas, that the Government can do a swap with. Just say to them, 'Build me a prison and that land is yours to build what you want, once it is approved by us'," noted the pastor.

prison ministries

Despite calling for the removal of the prisons from the Old Capital, Edwards said without the work of the prison ministries that several churches have undertaken, Jamaica would have been flooded with more criminals. "Hell would have broken out in this country," he added.

"Because of these prison ministries, several persons that went in as hardened criminals have either returned to the streets as transformed Christians, or are still behind bars preaching the Gospel," he shared.

anastasia.cunningham@gleanerjm.com