Don’t stop the prison repairs

THE EDITOR: Imagine the Government and Prison Service planned to spend about $52 million on improving some of the basic physical conditions in the prisons and we are hearing that prisoners are breaking off parts of toilets and other physical infrastructure to fight prison officers and others inmates.

Does it really make sense then to invest in these items in these “hard times?” Absolutely yes. Even though, on one hand, we are trying to help them using taxpayers’ dollars and, on the other hand, some of the beneficiaries are being destructive. If the project is stopped, it will be “Peter paying for Paul.”

Can the “influential” prisoners use their powers to calm their fellow inmates before the project is jeopardised? I know they will get this message inside the prison.

IAN RAMDHANIE via e-mail