THE SEVENTH DEATH IN THE ANTIQUATED ANTIGUA PRISON IN THE PAST YEAR; NO TIMELINE ON CONSTRUCTION OF ITS REPLACEMENT

The seventh inmate in a year has died at His Majesty's Prison in Antigua. This death, which is reportedly a suicide, should never have occurred. Conditions there are appalling, and drugs and alcohol are readily available from the corrupt staff. Some Antiguans are claiming that the squalid conditions, and mistreatment of prisoners violates the Human Rights of the inmates. The overcrowded facility was designed for 150 inmates; However, the facility suffers from severe overcrowding and regularly houses between 250 and 400 prisoners, running at an occupancy level well over 150% to 250% of its intended limit. Due to these longstanding capacity issues, the Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet approved plans to construct a new modular correctional facility to phase out the colonial-era structure. The plans include a rehabilitation scheme and a skills development program, to reintegrate inmates back into society.

The problem is that there has been no start date announced by the Cabinet, the authorized capacity will be only 150, and there are rumours that a Chinese contractor, with Chinese crew, will be constructing the much-needed facility, due to the fact that China has reportedly agreed to finance the construction. This denies Antiguan companies the business, who employ local workers, what could provide an economic shot in the arm during difficult times. 

We call upon the government of Antigua to give the construction contract to a local company, and to forthwith schedule the project this year, not in the indefinite future, before more inmates take their own lives in desperation.