News

FCS on track with inmates’ welfare and health

February 17, 2021 4:25 pm

The Fiji Corrections Service is on the right track in caring for inmates’ welfare and health, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Pacific Head of Delegation Vincent Orchilet says officials are moving in the right direction when compared to other Pacific Island countries.

Orchilet says the FCS is meeting some of the standards that are required.

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“I think they are on the right direction, one thing that which is very important for us is that we have good access to your prisons and we have good communication and that is key and anything that we can find that need to be improved, we talk to them in a very confidential way.”

Fiji Corrections Service Commander Francis Kean says they are working with relevant agencies to facilitate training for officers to improve service delivery.

“We have a lot of elderly prisoners under our care in the Fiji Correctional Service, when I say elderly this is above the age of 60, 70 running into the 80s, so training gives them a better idea of actually looking after prisoners that are currently incarcerated. It’s a bit different from looking after those that are in hospitals and medical centres but this one is specifically in Detention centres.”

There are 15 Correctional facilities around Fiji including two remand centres, two women’s corrections centres, a minimum, a medium and a maximum corrections centre, and a Pre-Release Centre.