Gov’t Rejects UK’s Offer to Help Construct Modern Prison in Jamaica
In 2015, the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom – David Cameron announced that Britain intended to help construct a new prison in Jamaica.
The prison, once completed according to the BBC would be used to house hundreds of Jamaicans currently incarcerated in Britain.
Cameron at the time stressed the need to have the prisoners returned to Jamaica stating:
“It is absolutely right that foreign criminals who break our laws are properly punished but this shouldn’t be at the expense of the hardworking British taxpayer.”
“That’s why this agreement is so important. It will mean Jamaican criminals are sent back home to serve their sentences, saving the British taxpayer millions of pounds but still ensuring justice is done”.
However that plan did not sit well with many Jamaicans who ridiculed the then PNP led government for even entertaining such a proposition.
Additionally, the offer from the UK of $5.5 billion would only be 40 percent of the cost to construct the prison, meaning Jamaica would need to provide the outstanding amount needed.
It has now been reported that the Andrew Holness administration has rejected the $5.5 billion offer.
According to the Gleaner, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kamina Johnson Smith made the announcement in the Senate this morning, ending almost six months of wait for the answer.
She stated that the terms of the offer “were not beneficial to Jamaica as a whole.”
She did not state exactly the unfavourable terms.
She also declined to answer questions from Opposition Senator Lambert Brown, who tabled the questions on whether negotiations are underway to get favourable terms.
“The matter is closed at this time,” she said.
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