The Ministry of National Security has handed over five Chevrolet Express vans to be used to transport prisoners to court.

The vehicles, which are valued at $18.8 million, can accommodate 10 prisoners each.

The vehicles were handed over to Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas yesterday.

The announcement from the National Security Ministry comes a day after Gleaner reports that Justice Paulette Williams demanded an official explanation as to why the prisoners were more than an hour late in arriving at the Home Circuit Court last Friday.

Inspector Winston Walker told the court on Friday that the prisoner truck had to make more than one trip because there were more than 120 prisoners scheduled for court.

Truck broke down

That incident came just days after proceedings were held up in the Home Circuit Court on Monday, April 30, after the sole truck transporting prisoners in the Corporate Area broke down.

On Friday, Justice Williams remarked: "They are spending money to find out what is the problem in the justice system. Perhaps they should supply money to provide some of the basic things we need."

Yesterday Gilbert Scott, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, said the new vehicles would supplement the present fleet of prisoner transport vehicles assigned to the force.

He said that, with the new arrivals, there should be a significant improvement in the transportation of prisoners to court.

The Permanent Secretary has also urged persons using the vehicles to take care of them.