This is according to government minister with responsibility for prison, Carvin Malone, who argued that the facility is in need of some additional amount of social services.

During the recent budget debate in the House of Assembly, Minister Malone spoke about the need for a reinstatement of social services and activities such as life skills and training that had taken place in the past.

“The farm that was there, the woodwork shop that was there and the other activities [need to return] so that when the persons leave that institution, they would not feel as if, ‘well, it is a better accommodation there than it is on the outside’. We must break that cycle, we have to do it together,” Malone said.

The minister also stated that there was some amount of infrastructural rehabilitation that was needed at the facility.

“Work is needed at the prison, services are needed at the prison,” the Health Minister stated.

Meanwhile, Malone said that the prison’s administration was only handed to him after 18 months in his government post, noting that this only happened after much letter-writing on his part.

This is despite a government release issued four months after the minister entered office that said, “Her Majesty’s Prison is now an official subject under the Ministry of Health & Social Development”.

At the time, Malone said he felt prison responsibilities were best served under his ministry.