Cuthbert-Flynn blasts Hayles for 'outright false' claims three prisons being built in Westmoreland

State Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, is rejecting as "outright false and misleading" an allegation by People's National Party Vice President, Ian Hayles, that the Government is building three prisons in Westmoreland.

In a video posted to social media, Hayles, who is the party's caretaker for Western Westmoreland, said three prisons were being constructed in Frome, Little London and Llandilo.

"The criminals are getting three first-world buildings in the parish of Westmoreland. We can't get a good hospital, people are still in tents in Westmoreland, at the hospital waiting to be served under a tent," Hayles said in the video.

Cuthbert-Flynn has countered stating that the Government is simply upgrading the police stations at Little London and Frome to ensure members of the police force have more comfortable facilities. However, she noted that all police stations require a holding area for detainees.

“The fact is the Government recognises the need to improve the working conditions of members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and we are therefore building two police stations and a divisional headquarters in Westmoreland. The planned concrete buildings will replace wooden structures which have fallen into significant disrepair. It's unfortunate that Hayles has sought to without merit use false allegations to paint a positive development in a negative light,” Cuthbert-Flynn stated.

She also rejected Hayles' claim that the Llandilo Cultural Centre is to be destroyed in order to erect a new prison.

She said there will be no police station built on the cultural site. However, she said a divisional headquarters is being built close to the cultural centre.

“Ian Hayles and the PNP should do better than spreading blatant deceptive claims in order to mislead the people of Jamaica.  However, this tendency of Hayles and the PNP to enter into the public domain false information is not surprising. It's an indication of their unbecoming and increasing desperation for political power," Cuthbert-Flynn further stated.

She said PNP President Mark Golding should "move to curb a tendency by the leadership of his party to make inaccurate and false claims in their thirst for political power."

She noted recent claims by Hayles regarding alleged partisan distribution of water tanks in  Westmoreland Western. The JLP and the alleged recipient of the tanks have rejected Hayles' claims as false.

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