The Fiji Corrections Service recently demolished three major prison blocks at the Suva Correction Centre.

Commissioner Commander Francis Kean says the old main cell block, awaiting trial block and segregation block was demolished due to occupational, health and safety reasons.

Commander Kean says a wide and lengthy consultation process was conducted with relevant stakeholders to secure the approval of the demolition works.

“These three buildings actually had to be demolished for safety reasons as we had slabs falling off and was a threat to the general prison population and also to the prison staff that was manning Suva Correctional Centre. The major task for us was the relocation of prisoners from Suva Correctional center especially in the final stages – the demolition of the main cell block. We had to relocate the 437 prisoners from Suva to other correctional centers.”

He adds the project is futuristic and hopefully alleviate the crowding issue they currently face at the biggest receiving center.

“We’ve been given funding from the government to survey and design a new correctional center for Fiji. Ideally, we want capacity for a 600 man prison that will be able to cater to the needs now and into the medium term.”

The prison blocks were constructed in 1913 and were not in use since 1998 due to its deteriorating state.

The total cost of this project was $732,234.11