Correctional service institutions around the country have come under immense pressure due to jail breakouts over the past 5 years.
This raised questions over the management of facilities and our national prison systems.
However, all these will come under review, as stated by Prime Minister Peter O&rsquO’Neill yesterday at the Bomana Correctional Service College.
During his speech at the official opening of the 4th Pacific Island Women in Corrections conference, Prime Minister Peter O&rsquO’Neill made it clear that PNG’s correctional institutions have faced countless challenges.
Mr O&rsquO’Neill said infrastructure and capacity were the main struggles faced by many government agencies.
However, with CS institutions, the Prime Minister said a major review is in progress by the cabinet.
With the growing concern of long-serving officers in the country, the Prime Minister said CS will increase its recruitment from 150 recruits to 450 per intake. This will begin next year at the Bomana CS Training College.
Mr O&rsquO’Neill said this is to allow retiring officers to pass out with dignity. A funding of K2 million will come from the government to see that become practical.
Meanwhile, CS Minister Jimmy Simatab called for officers to work with pride as major jail breakouts were caused by carelessness.
Minister Simatab said the review will be a new direction taken by the department while tightening up on loopholes in PNG’s prison systems.
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