By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

AFTER years of delays and public scrutiny over dire prison conditions, the government is moving ahead with plans to expand the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services with key upgrades aimed at modernising the existing one.

Correctional Services Commissioner Doan Cleare confirmed that the project includes the development of new medium, high, and super-maximum-security sections. He explained that the expansion has been designed to meet standards set by the American Correctional Association and has already received government approval.

Originally proposed in early 2023 with a projected cost of $40m, the prison expansion underwent significant changes, including the addition of mental health and medical facilities. These changes caused the projected budget to rise as high as $93m. Following a cost-cutting review and redesign, the total estimated cost was later reduced by approximately 40 percent, trimming $30-$40m from the previous budget.

The long-awaited upgrade comes after persistent concerns from officials in 2023 about the facility’s outdated infrastructure. These included the use of unsanitary “slopping” methods and crowded, inhumane conditions that failed to meet accreditation standards. Despite the urgency of those concerns, Cabinet approval was delayed until November 2024.

Commissioner Cleare acknowledged that he had hoped construction would have started a year earlier. He said the scope of the project has expanded beyond merely building new sections to creating a more specialised correctional system. Once completed, the facility is expected to meet certification standards from the first day of operation, eliminating overcrowded cells and forcing an end to unhygienic living conditions.

In addition to the structural improvements, the government has also approved the use of mobile phone jamming equipment inside the prison. This technology, which interferes with signals between mobile phones and network towers, is being introduced to prevent inmates from making illegal calls.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said this measure is necessary because keeping mobile phones out of the prison has been a persistent challenge. He added that jamming equipment will be implemented carefully to avoid disrupting service in the surrounding community. The construction of the new units is expected to further address security gaps within the prison.

The initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen prison security, as outlined by Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis during the 2025/2026 budget communication in the House of Assembly.