Jamaican Government to allow condoms in prisons?
According to a report by Loop Jamaica, The National Democratic Movement (NDM) has hit out against a proposed amendment to Corrections regulations, which it said will allow condoms to be distributed in prisons.
In a release to the media, the NDM said it had been informed that such a move was afoot.
“The National Democratic Movement has been made aware that the present PNP Administration is about to amend the Correction Services regulations which will allow condoms to be distributed in all prisons.
If this information is correct, the NDM is sounding a serious caution, voicing our concerns and warning of the negative signals that such action can have, without careful and public consultation,” the release said.
The NDM said such a move would send signals that the government is endorsing the illegal buggery practice in our prisons and could give the impression that the present government is more concerned about male/male and female/female relationships than male/female ones.
“The NDM is therefore calling on the government not to allow the distribution of condoms in prisons unless they are willing to allow conjugal visits for heterosexual partners.
The NDM is aware of the strong health concerns regarding the high levels of AIDS related illnesses in our prisons but cannot condone the distribution of condoms for those reasons,” the release said.
A former head of Jamaica’s prisons, Lieutenant Colonel John Prescod, faced a huge backlash in 1997 when he suggested that condoms be issued to both warders and inmates as a means to help prevent the spread of HIV in the prisons. The statement caused warders to walk off the job.
Source: Loop Jamaica