Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan says the disclosure that 300 prisoners were released was a mistake, and it should have been that they were in fact “removed” from the Lusignan “walled area.”
In providing a breakdown, Ramjattan posited that 463 persons have been removed from the total of 1018 prisoners who were relocated to the Lusignan “walled area” after the Camp Street Prison was set alight by prisoners on Sunday last.
The Minister explained today that 83 inmates were transferred to the Mazaruni Prison, 90 to the New Amsterdam Prison, 48 to the Timehri Prison and 151 were placed into the Lusignan Prison itself.
Furthermore, he noted that while utilizing his power under the Prison Act, he approved the early release of 57 prisoners, while the Magistrates have granted a total of 34 persons bail.
As such, a little over 500 prisoners remain in the “walled” area located in the compound of the Lusignan Prison.
Meanwhile, Ramjattan said that the conditions for the 500 prisoners at Lusignan are expected to improve as emergency works are ongoing at the facility.
According to the Public Security Minister, during a press briefing held on Thursday, prisoners that are currently in the open area of the Lusignan Prison will have better facilities within the next 24 hours as contractors are doing the emergency works, which are expected to be completed by Friday midnight.
He explained that constructions works are ongoing, “We have a tarmac and (will be) putting up sheds with roofs and better washroom facilities so that they can be in better conditions.”
However, Minister Ramjattan stated that once the debris is removed from the Camp Street Prison some prisoners will be transferred back to the Camp Street ‘brick prison’, which was the only part of the penitentiary that remained unscathed throughout the disastrous fire.
He explained that repairs are being carried out to the brick prison’s roof, the locking system, the kitchen area and the administration centre.
“The structure in the new brick prison that is standing there can accommodate another 250 prisoners, so from that 500 plus we will be shifting across to the new prison, the brick prison”, said Ramjattan.
