Pre-fab lock-up arrives at new custody centre

| 15/04/2014

(CNS): Pre-fabricated jail cells that will hold suspects arrested by police until they are charged arrived in Cayman at the weekend and workers are now erecting and connecting the new custody centre, which officials say will open in six weeks time. The new facility being constructed behind the women’s prison in Fairbanks will replace the George Town lock-up, which has been condemned in recent reports by prison inspectors as unfit for human habitation. Sitting on top of locally built foundations, the structure was purchased via a tendering process for just over USD $2.1 million from a US company and came pre-wired and pre-plumbed.

The purpose built, temperature-controlled, hurricane resistant buildings will house up to 24 inmates — a maximum of two to each cell, according to a release from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The facility will make the detention of arrestees, in George Town at least, human rights compliant.

Describing the features that ensure compliance, the deputy chief officer in the ministry responsible for public safety and security, Wesley Howell, said, “The rooms are designed to allow detainees a certain amount of personal space. In addition the rooms have been constructed in such a way as to minimise opportunities for prisoners to self-harm.”

With recent policy changes that have reduced the number of hours that the RCIPS can lawfully hold people in detention from 72 to 48, the total number of people in lock-up at any given time should be reduced. Howell said the goal would be for single occupancy but, should the need arise, each of the twelve cells can hold two people.

As well as the new cells, the suites include a breathalyzer room, interview rooms, a visitation room and various other facilities.

Related article on CNS

Prison conditions 'shocking'

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Category: Crime

About the Author ()

Comments (35)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    Oh yeah!  Here we go again!  The housing conditions for the hard working families are deplorable but the government spends millions on criminals!  WTH!  Come one MLA's wth did we vote you in for?  I am so sick and tired of reading this crap.  It's a shame and very disappointing.

    • Anonymous says:

      Not all bad living conditions are due to poor pay. A lot are down to a bad choice of priorities. E.G. Crap house, new silverado on the drive, or getting drunk or worse with friends rather than house repairs. Clearly some people don't have a choice, others do.

  2. Anonymous says:

    It better have wifi so they can enjoy Facebook, viber etc lol

  3. Anonymous says:

    I was hoping to get stopped at 130 mph past Ocean Club on the wrong side of the road, but the police car I passed didn't notice. I so wanted to spend the night in the new police lock-up, as my roof is leaking and I didnt fancy paying  for  a luxury hotel room on 7-mile beach. 

  4. Anonymous says:

    Wonder if we could find out if any of the companies involved have connections to politicians and or their friends/family members? 

    The constant talk about needing new development for construction workers, yet here we have an opportunity to provide work and this is what our leaders do???

     

  5. Anonymous says:

    Might sound stupid, does temperature control, means that the cells have air condition, they should tell us. How about flooding in that area. What is the running cost to manage the facility,  the next question, is  the fencing secure and adequate to keep these guys in, if not where will they exercise, can some one tell us please. How many staff will be required to manage the place.

  6. MEM says:

    Unfit for human habitation! When since jail became a vacation getaway?! 2.1 million dollars can build a 14,000 square foot home @ CI$145 per square foot (and this usually includes cabinetry and appliances!! But yet BT Primary has dysfunctional A/C, buildings needing repairs and you name it! Our government is very twisted!

    • Anonymous says:

      I used to build home like this years ago..depending on the materials they will either be sweat boxes (if secure) or easy to break out of if not. Unless the game changed a lot since then..

  7. Anonymous says:

    I am now looking at bringing in pre fab buildings. Let them tell me no !… what excuse will they have for me.

    • MEM says:

      Yep, funny enough I seriously did look into this years ago because you can get homes as low as US$30,000 (3 bed, 2bath) – but apparently they don't meet Cayman planning regulations they say… full'o snap!

  8. C'mon Now! says:

    Ya telling me we couldn't build twelve 10×12 rooms with good locks and no sharp corners for under $2mil!

    • Anonymous says:

      No! Thats not how we run things in the PPM…. We spend money, big money!!! We go large!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Seeing as it was put out to tender I'm going to go with, apparently not.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Did you not know certain groups in Cayman are immune from the laws?

  10. Knot S Smart says:

    Does it have internet access and USB ports to recharge iPhones?

    • Anonymous says:

      I love how they are building these for all the female prisoners to take notes on how they are being put together, so they can tell their boyfriends, family or whoever how to escape when they end up in one. Probably sending pictures via Whatsapp and Blackberry all day long…..

  11. Anonymous says:

    I thought Jim Bodden's government forbade pre-fabricated building many years ago. Have we changed the laws?

    • Anonymous says:

      Things changed when it was no longer a pre-condition for building that money ended up in the hands of Jim Bodden.

      • Anonymous says:

        Omg I can't believe CNS allowed you to say that. That is descreating the memory of a man that cannot defend himself whether he did this or not…

        • Anonymous says:

          Oh he did it . . .

          • Anonymous says:

            I love it Change is coming.

             Finally the truth is coming out about your Hero

            Those that still feel the pain will have some comfort

          • Anonymous says:

            Go ahead and slander the name of a dead man. And not to mention one who did more good for this country than the whole lot that have been in the LA since him.

          • Anonymous says:

            Can you name one pre-fab building that Mr. Jim made come in the country?

          • Anonymous says:

            Well, now I guess the doors are flung wide open and we can say anything we want about anyone dead or alive on CNS..Never thought that we would ever sink this low but this is what our country has lowered itself to by inviting others to join us and then to disrespect us all in the name of freedom of speech. Jim Bodden was our first local hero and whether or not you had a beef with him when he was alive doesn't give anyone the right to desecrate the man's character without proof ,when he is unable to defend it. Only cowards do that?

            There are some limits CNS..there has to be some limits …Where are your standards or morals CNS?

          • Anonymous says:

            And he drove the bulldozer that knocked down Fort George and he's our National Hero and he has a statue of himself not far from where he knocked down the fort.

          • anonymous says:

            Some traditions run deep in Cayman.

        • Fred the Piemaker says:

          Is this one of the questions on the PR test?  Sure seem to be a lot of Bodden related questions. 

        • Anonymous says:

          Don't worry the dead has no power I know for sure because if that was the case you would be long gone from these shores and many more like you  too.  The day JMB died Cayman began the slow process of Cayman and all things Caymanian dying also.   Yes go ahead and make fun because I know for sure that Cayman would still be paradise if JMB was still alive and Caymanians would still be kings and queens of their country…… GT would not be dying nor would SMB be considered a mini version of South Beach without the beach and fun spot of Ocean Drive where they have full access to the beach but like they say all good things must come to an end it happened in Bahamas and it will happen here too but I humbly ask where will you run to then? surely not Anguilla, BVI and certainly not TCI.

        • C'mon Now! says:

          Legend has it Mr. Jim personally bulldozed part of Fort George.  I didn't see it myself but I've met more than one who claims they did!

          • Anonymous says:

            Yes, Mr. Jim bulldozed part of Fort George and Mr. Desmond Seales talked him down from demolishing it.  So what is your point??? this is one for your PR test.  Just remember it was the best of Cayman then, that was and is still the only Caymanian politician with guts and glory to match.  The only man who had the nerves to place a moritorium on status grants and it did not matter to him where you were from he would let you know in a minute Cayman is for Caymanians and if you did not like it you were welcome to leave, that my friends were the days.

            • Anonymous says:

              10.56 well said! Now email all your Cayman brothers and Sisters living and working in other places to get their butts home quick, cos those places are not Caymans'. What's good for the goose…….

      • Anonymous says:

        23:28.         This is a serious charge to make against a named individual;some might even call it libel. I hope that you are in a position to prove this.