Gov’t rejects UK prison deal
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kamina Johnson Smith a short while ago told the Senate that the Andrew Holness-led Administration has, for now, rejected the £25 million prison deal with the United Kingdom.
The deal was to see the building of a maximum-security prison in Jamaica, with assistance from the Government of the UK.
Johnson Smith said “the terms they (UK) have provided are not beneficial to Jamaica as a whole and so we (Government) have rejected it”.
The minister also declined to respond to questions from Opposition Senator Lambert Brown who questioned if negotiations were underway to get favourable terms.
“The matter is closed at this time,” she responded.
Johnson Smith also cited national security concerns and said questions from Leader of Opposition Business Mark Golding were inappropriate.
She however, invited Golding to send the questions to the Ministry of National Security.
