POA: Benefit of centralised prison campus unproven

Prison Officers’ Association (POA) president Gerald Gordon says while the association supports the State’s long-standing goal to modernise the correctional environment, any such initiative must proceed with “caution, clarity, and genuine consultation.”

Gordon was speaking with Newsday on November 7 about the government’s proposal to demolish all existing prisons and construct a central “justice centre” in Tamana as part of the government’s ambitious national infrastructural development plan unveiled on November 6.

Gordon said the concept of consolidation and modernisation could bring benefits such as standardised services, improved infrastructure, and better access to specialised treatment. However, he warned the wholesale relocation and demolition of current facilities present serious logistical, financial, social, and operational risks.