Three foreign firms have submitted proposals for the development of a central prison complex, and ‘Hope Island’ for the rehabilitation of juvenile offenders, in Uthuru Thila Falhu, the Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusan has revealed.
The project aims to consolidate the nation’s existing prisons in different islands into a central prison, and create a dedicated rehabilitation centre for minors exposed to criminal environments.
Speaking on PSM News' ‘Raajje Miadhu’ programme, Minister Ihusan said the project is expected to start by next month.
According to the Minister, the prison consolidation project will reduce operating costs by 40 percent, adding that it will streamline prison management to international standards and establish a quality system to rehabilitate offenders.
Minister Ihusan revealed that three foreign firms are among the four that have submitted proposals for the Hope Island and Prison Complex in Uthuru Thilafalhu.
"A US, China, Malaysia and a Maldivian company have expressed interest. All four are very capable companies. Once the final proposals are received, we will evaluate them and select a contractor. The hope is to start the work in July,” he explained.
The Minister said the operation of individual prisons poses major challenges, adding that it costs USD 1,750 to keep a single inmate incarcerated.
As prisons are scattered in different islands, transportation, medical treatment and logistics are also expensive while staff costs are also higher as individual prisons need to be manned.
“This is an initiative we have started with a clear focus and an endgame. Prisons are overcrowded. There is no room for rehab treatment. No these are places to keep people just locked up as there are no rehab facilities,” he added.
The Hope Island project will involve dredging 15 hectares of land. The facility will accommodate a total of 700 people, including staff. The facilities will include residential units, an education hub, a training facility, sports facilities, a medical facility, a mosque with a capacity of 700 people and a community and family area.
The government has previously said that children admitted to Hope Island will remain there until they are 18 years old. The facility will offer programmes to improve children's behaviour, education, training, job experience and other such opportunities.
A total of 30 hectares of land will be dredged for the construction of the prison complex. The complex will include residential units, drug rehabilitation facility, halfway house, education and training facility, a mosque with a capacity of 1,000 people, and medical unit. The prison complex is aimed at addressing the difficulties currently faced in providing services in different prisons scattered across multiple islands.