Caribbean National Weekly

Former JA Ambassador to the U.S. supports UK prison plan

By CNW Reporter··1 min read
Former JA Ambassador to the U.S. supports UK prison plan
Key Points(5)
  • Former Jamaican Ambassador to the U.S., Stephen Vasciannie has announced his support for the U.K.’s controversial £25 million offer to build a prison on the island.
  • Vasciannie says the plan will go a long way in improving Jamaica’s current prison conditions, which he argues are an urgent human rights problem.
  • He argues that Jamaicans should not dismiss the main issue which is the need for a new prison to improve the current conditions.
  • The United Kingdom has offered the Jamaican Government some £25 million to build a new prison so that certain Jamaican criminals in the UK can be sent home to complete their sentences.
  • The £25 million is about 40 per cent of the money needed to building a 2,000-prisoner capacity, state-of-the-art facility.

Former Jamaican Ambassador to the U.S., Stephen Vasciannie has announced his support for the U.K.’s controversial £25 million offer to build a prison on the island. Vasciannie says the plan will go a long way in improving Jamaica’s current prison conditions, which he argues are an urgent human rights problem.

He argues that Jamaicans should not dismiss the main issue which is the need for a new prison to improve the current conditions.

The United Kingdom has offered the Jamaican Government some £25 million to build a new prison so that certain Jamaican criminals in the UK can be sent home to complete their sentences.

The £25 million is about 40 per cent of the money needed to building a 2,000-prisoner capacity, state-of-the-art facility.

The Government says it has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to continue discussions on the proposed prison deal and transfer of prisoners.

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