Requests to fund prisons rejected by international bodies – Ramjattan

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, has said that not much can be done at this point to rectify the situation at the Lusigan Prison and added that though he sought help from various international agencies, he was turned down.

At an Alliance for Change (AFC) Local Government Elections (LGE) press conference yesterday, Ramjattan spoke on the steps being taken to improve the conditions at the Lusignan Prison, which fuelled recent rioting and saw the escape of three prisoners who are still on the run.

“We can’t put them in circumstances outside of Lusignan…Its 558 prisoners we are talking about and that is caused, of course, by the inmates burning down Camp Street. But, as best as possible, in the circumstances, we are trying. We did facilities at the Lusignan holding bays to ensure their security and of course it is not the best. It is, at most, a half-scald situation but in my circumstances, I don’t know what better I can do,” Ramjattan said.