By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration has asked prison officials to reduce costs for a planned high-medium security correctional facility, according to acting Corrections Commissioner Doan Cleare.

“What happened is that the government is of the view that the current facility is costly, which amounts to, I think, $93m,” he said, noting officials met to discuss the matter on Sunday. “What they are asking us now is if we can remove some of the things that may not be totally necessary for a facility.

“We are now in the process of trying to tone down some of the costings and do a resubmission to the government. Once that is done, we will be proceeding as mandated.”

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe revealed in May that the government expanded its construction plans for the corrections facility, moving from a $40m high-medium security facility to a $90m “correctional institution, administrative, housing and medical facility”.

Officials say facility upgrades are vital to getting accredited by the American Correctional Association. However, questions have been raised about the contract award process for the project.

Meanwhile, acting Commissioner Cleare said after a Jamaican prisoner was accidentally repatriated to Jamaica in May, the prison tightened its procedures to prevent a repeat incident.

“There are lots of new procedures that are now put in place,” he said. “We had three different checks. We now have five checks. Also, immigration will now be a part of it, in terms of their checks now too. So it most likely wouldn’t happen again.”

Ramone Haughton, 25, was found guilty of overstaying and having a firearm. When he completed his sentence for overstaying in May, he was released from prison. He was deported before serving his firearm sentence.

“Based on our initial investigations, that amounted to a procedural error,” acting Commissioner Cleare said. “What actually caused the issue is that the same individual was charged in two different courts on the same day.

“Our records department was of the view at that time that this person only had one charge. So after the court sent back for that person, they realised it was two different charges on the same person.

“But he was then released to Immigration and Immigration deported him. So it is up to the attorney general’s office to determine whether they will seek his extradition back to The Bahamas to stand trial.”