$56.3 million upgrade for Remand Yard

CABINET yesterday approved a $56.3 million upgrade for the Remand Yard at Golden Grove, Arouca.

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon made the announcement at the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s.

Dillon said the proposed scope of works included upgrades to the plumbing, sewer treatment and electrical system at Remand Yard. Recalling that Remand Yard was first constructed in the 1940’s as a barracks for members of the Royal Air Force, Dillon said cells at the facility were only supposed to house a maximum of three individuals.

He said these cells were now holding eight to ten people. Dillon also said the upgrade would seek to replace the pail system in the cells with proper toilet facilities. He said Cabinet recognised the need for the upgrade, even with long-term plans for the construction of a new Remand Yard next to the existing facility, over the next five years.

Dillon also said efforts were being made to improve conditions at the Port-of-Spain prison and the Immigration Detention Centre as well. With respect to the latter, Dillon said the length of time people were detained at the centre varies for different reasons.

Noting a terrorist attack in Barcelona earlier in the day, Acting Attorney General Stuart Young reiterated that Government continues to collaborate with its international partners regarding intelligence on possible security threats. Young and Dillon reiterated that recent conversations with the British High Commission indicated that there was no credible intelligence to suggest any terrorist incident is likely in TT.