Problems reportedly brewing at Spanish Town prison over plans to relocate inmates
ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — Concerns have been raised over a possible protest at the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre in Spanish Town, over plans to relocate inmates from some blocks and placing them in already overcrowded areas of the facility.
One Observer Online source claimed on Monday that the sections where the inmates will be relocated to was previously considered unfit to keep prisoners.
“Now, suddenly, they want to use that area,” the concerned source said.
Another source expressed that problems could be brewing inside the prison.
“Nobody announced publicly that they will be relocated,” said the second source, who is well-placed within the correctional system but requested anonymity.
“Today, there are over 900 people in a place that was built for 600. It is already overcrowded. If you close set blocks, the inmates will pack up like sardines, one on top of the other. They are furious right now,” the source said.
In 2022, the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre, which had a capacity to hold roughly 850 inmates, housed close to 1,000 prisoners.
Minister with responsibility for the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, on Monday stated that plans of relocation came about due to damage to certain sections of the prison following a series of recent earthquakes.
“There have been quite a number of earthquakes that have taken place in Jamaica in the last few weeks. As you are aware, our prisons are very old. They were built in the 1700s and the 1800s. An assessment was done at all our correctional facilities just to make sure there were no cracks and that they were safe for the inmates, because we have to protect them,” she said.
“At St Catherine, there were some cracks that were found. We deemed it important enough to say we would have to possibly remove some of the inmates and we are looking now at those alternatives because as you are aware, we just had another earthquake a few days ago and so we are looking at the welfare of the inmates at this time and looking at alternative measures.”
She added that they are currently looking at different options to ensure the safety of the inmates.
“As it relates to refurbishing of the affected building, that will have to be assessed. Nothing has been set in stone as to what will take place,” she continued. “Once the inmates are removed from the area, another team will go out to have another look at the building to make that assessment. Nothing is set at this time. When we will move them is not something I am able to say but we would want to do it as quickly as possible. We just had another earthquake over the weekend.”
Parts of Jamaica were shaken by a 3.8 earthquake magnitude earthquake on Sunday afternoon which followed a series of bigger tremors in recent weeks including a frightening 5.6 magnitude earthquake in October, that caused cracks and other damage to many buildings.
READ: Parts of Jamaica shaken by magnitude 3.8 earthquake
The 5.6 magnitude earthquake was said to be the strongest one recorded in more than 31 years.
