Jamaica’s Ministry of National Security has upgraded two cell phone jammers at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre, formerly known as the (General Penitentiary), where convicted dancehall DJ, Vybz Kartel, is currently serving his life sentence.
The move is in keeping with a bid by the ministry to strengthen security in the nation’s correctional facilities through a special Technology Task Force.
The jammers are expected to block incoming and outgoing calls from the maximum security facility.
The ministry moved to stamp out illegal use of electronic devices in the aftermath of a call from former Youth and Culture Minister, Lisa Hanna, that Vybz Kartel’s music be banned from radio as they were being recorded illegally in prison.
Angry fans of the DJ issued death threats and lambasted Hanna for her stance.
Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Pearnel Charles Jr. said the Task Force is swiftly implementing a technology strategy that will identify more modern technology for phased roll-out in all the correctional institutions.
“By optimizing and maintaining our physical security assets, we are advancing the process of identifying and selecting the best, and most modern cellular jammers and other technology solutions for deployment throughout the correctional system,” said Charles.
“The restoration of these jammers serves an immediate need but also speaks to the lack of maintenance and under-utilisation in recent years. This is the first in a series of interventions by the team, which will carry out further assessments throughout the correctional institutions”, he added.
Charles said audits will be conducted by the Task force in all institutions under phase 2 of an electronic monitoring program.
Providers have also begun the process of assessing the CCTV surveillance systems in the correctional facilities; as well as the installation of X-Ray Scanning Machines at Tower Street and St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centres and the Horizon Adult Remand Centre, as well as metal detectors and new Entry Management Protocols.
