[Source: Fijian Government]

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has reaffirmed the government’s commitment and support towards developing and enhancing correction facilities.

Bainimarama says $500,000 has been allocated for the construction of a new 600-personnel main cell block to ensure officers and the inmates have appropriate facilities.

“The annual financial commitment from my Government to the FCS dwarfs that past government. Those funds have raised your salaries and improved your equipment and facilities. We constructed the first women’s correctional facility outside of Suva. We have brought this institution’s practices in line with international standards, including the introduction of community-based corrections systems.”

Bainimarama says Corrections Officers are amongst those who work tirelessly during the peak of the pandemic assisting in food distribution and other services

The Prime Minister however adds that our vaccination effort is not over yet as the focus is slowly shifting towards another target age group.

“I will not be satisfied until we vaccinate more of our under 18s, and as many of the eligible adults that remain unvaccinated as possible, you may know an unvaccinated person. They may be your cousin, aunt or uncle, or – God forbid, a grandparent who is especially vulnerable. Urge them to come forward and be protected, as we here all have.”

Corrections Officers have also been praised for their never-ending sacrifices to limit exposure of the virus within the facilities as some officers worked in isolation within the working premises for five to six weeks.