Parliament

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Minister of National Security, Senator Col. Trevor MacMillan, has informed that the construction of a number of police stations is advanced, including the Bath Police Station in St. Thomas, which is almost complete.

"We are awaiting Cabinet approval on the construction of Point Hill and Alexandria Police Stations. Bids for the construction of the Lacovia Police Station have been evaluated and will be sent to the National Contracts Commission for its recommendation, while work at Twickenham Park is to start in this quarter," Senator MacMillan said during his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Senate on Friday (Jan. 23).

Regarding the Hope Bay Police Station, he informed that the National Works Agency has agreed to transfer the land for the project and the matter is now with the National Land Agency for action.

Senator MacMillan said that the delay in the completion of the Falmouth Police Station in Trelawny, has been an area of concern, however, the matter is being addressed, and "we expect that a solution will be arrived at within a few weeks."

Giving an update on other construction projects being undertaken, the National Security Minister informed that the 5,000-bed Adult Correctional Facility at Amity Hall in the parish of St. Catherine is in its initial stages of development. An additional 200 acres of land are being acquired from the Agricultural Development Corporation to facilitate the expansion of the project.

A public morgue is also being constructed and the boundary wall for the facility is 90 per cent completed. The plans for the building were submitted to the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Council (KSAC) for approval.

The National Contracts Committee has approved the award of the contract to TANKWELD, and a submission is to be made to Cabinet. It is hoped that construction will start in the first quarter of the new financial year.

Senator MacMillan also informed that the Ministry of National Security is pursuing the construction of a transition centre for low-risk offenders, who make up a significant percentage of the inmate population. The estimates and the drawings for this facility are complete.

In addition, a juvenile facility at Montpelier in St. James is being renovated to serve as a juvenile correctional/remand centre for boys.

Also, a hostel/reception centre for deported persons has been established in Kingston. In the short term, it will be used to accommodate deported persons with no place to go immediately. "In the medium-term, however, a permanent centre will be established and this will be the processing point for deported persons after clearance at the airport," Senator MacMillan said.

Services to be offered include short-term accommodation for homeless deported persons, drug rehabilitation, family reunification, skills training, counselling, and general services to help them re-integrate in the Jamaican society.

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