[UPDATED] $M TO FEED IMMIGRANTS

INMATES of the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) complained bitterly to members of a Joint Select Committee (JSC) about the poor quality of their diet and general bad living conditions at the centre in East Trinidad.

However, the 10th annual report of the JSC on Human Rights, laid in the Lower House on February 15, revealed the State spent over $10 million on feeding them between 2016 and 2018. The report revealed that each inmate was fed three times a day with a menu that included lamb, minced chicken, fish, turkey and sautéed vegetables.

The cost of feeding one inmate for a year was $7,136, the report said citing figures from 2017. That year, the meal bill for all IDC inmates exceeded $5 million.

The 186-page report featured the menu for a two-week period in March 2018. Inmates enjoyed a wide variety of meals that changed each day, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The daily cost for a caterer to feed each inmate was $80. “The annual cost for meals per detainee for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 was $4,742 and $7,136 respectively,” the report said. In 2016, $5,244,676 was spent to feed 1,106 inmates. In 2017, $5,552,370 was spent on meals for 778 inmates.

The IDC houses illegal immigrants from as far away as Africa to as close as Caribbean islands and Venezuela. They are usually kept there until they are processed, individual cases investigated by the Immigration Dept and Police and then either released or deported. Some inmates have been at the IDC for over a year.

In addition to the set menu, the report said, “Special diets are supplied based on the recommendation of a medical doctor assigned to the centre.” However, the JSC report suggested inmates were not happy with these meals.

“According to reports submitted to the Living Water Community, meals provided were insufficient, poorly prepared and did not reflect a healthy diet. Bottled water was not consistently provided to the detainees who often drank tap water.”

JSC members, on a site visit, heard the same complaints directly from the inmates. The report said detainees were given water on an as needed basis, but in line with United Nations standards.

“The rationale given for the restricted access to water was due to the previous destruction of the potable water dispenser by detainees,” the report said.“The restricted provision of hot water was as a result of a previous hot water incident involving a detainee and two IDC detention officers.”
However, the provision of meals was defended in the report as being in line with the IDC’s operational orders.

“Detainees are provided with three meals per day as recommended by a certified dietitian and prepared by a caterer listed under the National School Feeding Programme and contracted by the Immigration Division. The meals are prepared based on stringent nutritional standards and provisions are made daily for vegetarians and detainees with other special dietary requirements.”

This story was originally published with the title "Detainees dine on lamb, turkey" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.


INMATES at the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) have complained bitterly of poor living conditions, but a recent report revealed they are dining on three square meals a day that include lamb and turkey, which some might say the average family in TT would be hard-pressed to afford.

The cost of feeding one inmate for a year was $7,136, the report said, citing figures from 2017. That year the meal bill for all IDC inmates exceeded $5 million.

The latest costs are presumably higher.

This was all revealed in a just-released report on the treatment of IDC detainees, the 10th annual report of the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights, laid in the Lower House on February 15. The 186-page report featured the menu for two weeks in March 2018. Inmates enjoyed a wide variety of meals that changed each day, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The daily cost for a caterer to fed each inmate was $80.

“The annual cost for meals per detainee for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 was $4,742 and $7,136 respectively,” the report said.

In 2016, some $5,244,676 was spent to feed 1,106 inmates. The following year, $5,552,370 was spent on meals for 778 inmates.

In addition to the set menu, the report said, “Special diets are supplied based on the recommendation of the medical doctor assigned to the centre.”

However the JSC report suggested inmates were not happy with their meals.

“According to reports submitted to the Living Water Community, meals provided were insufficient, poorly prepared and did not reflect a healthy diet. Bottled water was not consistently provided to the detainees who often drank tap water.” JSC members, on a site visit, heard the same complaints directly from the inmates. The report said detainees were given water on an as needed basis, but in line with United Nations standards.

“The rationale given for the restricted access to water was due to the previous destruction of the potable water dispenser by detainees,” the report said.“The restricted provision of hot water was as a result of a previous hot water incident involving a detainee and two IDC detention officers.”

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"[UPDATED] $M TO FEED IMMIGRANTS"

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