Construction on New $40 Mil. Prison to Begin This Fall

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – New details on the construction of a new prison facility announced by the National Security Chief last month.

Berthony McDermott has the latest.

The Davis administration is hopeful that construction on a more than $40m high medium prison facility will begin later this year, according to the minister responsible Wayne Munroe.

He said the goal is for the facility to be completed in two years.

This projection comes two months after Munroe announced plans for the new facility.

The facility is expected to house around 700 inmates and will be steel fabricated which he said will make it harder for inmates to hide contraband.

Prime Minister Philip Davis says since taking office, improving the conditions of the prison has been at the forefront of his mind.

The Prime Minister’s comments came while addressing an empowerment seminar for Department of Correctional Services officers.

In that address he affirmed his administration’s zero-tolerance approach to prison officers who aid in prisons sneaking in contraband.

It’s a sentiment echoed by the national security minister who said they’ve seen a decrease of smuggling in the prison.

However, he says they’ve seen the emergence of a new issue.