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The lack of caregivers to assist immobile inmates is an issue faced by the Fiji Corrections Service.

This was highlighted by the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights while presenting their report on the Fiji Corrections Annual Report 2018-2019 and 2019-2020.

Committee Chair Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure says this is an issue the FCS has been highlighting for so many years and needs to be addressed.

“The Fiji Corrections Service has taken a humanitarian steps to monitor and provide daycare towards inmates of old age. This has subsequently exposed the lack of facilitations for inmates that are at risk with respect to mental health problems.”

Opposition MP Mosese Bulitavu says this is also a need by most inmates for the establishment of a parole board.

“I think that is one area that inmates always raise in terms of having that parole board. I think they are in the process of getting the Board Members given there are certain specialists that are needed to be part of that board like psychiatrist.”

Other issues highlighted by the Committee in their report is overcrowding of correction facilities, contrabands and the upgrades of correctional facilities to name a few.

The Fiji Correction Service is also undergoing a Job Evaluation Exercise to determine the salary of prison officers.