The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

CABINET has yet to approve the Bahamas Department of Corrections plan for an expanded prison, which officials say is critical to getting accreditation.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said yesterday that he eagerly hopes to present a “revised position” on the matter to Cabinet soon.

“Once we get judges upholding their conditions as they’re bound to, if only for warning people to obey their word, we’re going to have to address the prison, and I hope that is very soon,” he said. “We’ve already addressed the youth detention part of it. It’s time for us to address the adult detention part of it.”

In September 2023, Prison Commissioner Doan Cleare revealed that the cost of expanding the prison was cut by 40 per cent, down from $93m.

The cost of building the new prison facility has fluctuated multiple times. In May 2023, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe revealed that the construction plans moved from a $40m high-medium security facility to a $90m “correctional institution, administrative, housing, and medical facility”.

Mr Cleare said the initial $40m didn’t cover a medical facility, mental hospital, central intake for booking, or classrooms.

 He noted the American Correctional Association, the body concerned with accreditation, gave input on the design of the new facilities. He said the prison should be a certified correctional facility by the middle of this year pending more than 200 upgrades. It’s not clear whether that timeline remains in play.

 Meanwhile, in October 2023, Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said the Cabinet had not as yet approved the construction of new prison facilities.  He said the structures may have to be built incrementally to spread costs.