Liz Levy, Freelance Writer
Policemen patrol outside the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in downtown Kingston in March after one warder and three inmates were killed during an attempted prison break. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
A CONSORTIUM headed by top building contractor, Hugh Scott, is the front-runner in a deal to construct a $15 billion high tech prison facility in Amity Hall, St. Catherine, a well-placed source told Wednesday Business yesterday. When completed, the 5000-inmate facility will be the largest in the Caribbean, and the biggest construction project on the island since Highway 2000.
According to the 2004 Social and Economic Survey Jamaica, there were 3,948 inmates in adult correctional centres islandwide, 1,248 above the ideal capacity. The island's population held in detention averages a total of 6400 adults, juveniles and those remanded in custody.
Dr. Peter Phillips, Minister of National Security, announced in April that plans were under way for the
construction of a modern correctional facility which is to include the infrastructure necessary for the proper rehabilitation of inmates.
REVIEW PROPOSALS
He said the ministry was in the process of acquiring the site for the construction of the new prison and, "a review of two proposals is also being undertaken after which the necessary financial arrangements will be negotiated."
Encompassing 1.4 million square feet, the mammoth facility will likely replace nine of the island's 11 prisons, including the facility at Tower Street. The Tower Street centre is being acquired by the National Housing Trust and is to be demolished to make way for housing as part of the Government's inner city redevelopment project.
Centralisation of the island's prison operations will, according to the source, shave off roughly 40 per cent of the current daily cost of operating all of the island's 11 prisons.
The consortium which submitted the proposal for the build/own/lease/transfer project is said to include one of the island's leading contractors. Apart from Hugh Scott's firm, Kes Construction, other partners are Gilbane Construction the fifth largest building contractor in the U.S., and Halemills Construction, a leading U.S.. prison builder.
STATE-OF-THE-ART
It is not clear whether the proposed financiers, CitiGroup in New York, are also partners, but country head Peter Moses is said to have negotiated "an
exceptional (low) interest rate" for the project's financing. Importantly, the proposal would not require the government to cover any of the building costs.
According to the source, the 5000-inmate facility will have a special emphasis on rehabilitation, and will have a work/training centre, library, hospital, netball, football, and basketball facilities. In addition to state-of-the-art minimum, medium, and maximum facilities, the Amity Hall prison will have appellate and death row housing.
The proposal has already got the green light from the Ministry of National Security, sources say, and the finance ministry is expected to give its recommendation at the end of June before the project to be submitted for Cabinet approval.
Up to press time, efforts to contact Scott or other members of the consortium were unsuccessful.
