New concept prison planned for Neykurendhoo
Home ministry did not share information regarding project cost or when the contracted work would be completed.
By
Aman Haleem
Home ministry on Saturday signed an agreement with Unique Choice Company Pvt. Ltd. to build a prison industrial complex in HDh. Neykurendhoo.
The construction of a prison in Neykurendhoo is a pledge of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih as well as an important part of the administration's strategic action plan in the area of correction and rehabilitation.
In a ceremony held at the home ministry:
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Permanent Secretary at the ministry Abdul Rahman Salah Rasheed signed the agreement on behalf of the ministry
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Managing Director of Unique Choice Riyaz Ali signed the agreement on behalf of the company.
While the ministry has signed on the private company for the first phase of the construction of Neykurendhoo prison, the ministry did not share information regarding project cost or when the contracted work would be completed.
Neykurendhoo prison:
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Will be operated in an "open prison" system
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The prison complex will accommodate 300 inmates
Speaking after the signing ceremony, home minister Imran Abdulla said that a lot of work needs to be done to rehabilitate inmates back into the community, and described the complex as a solution to the problem.
"[Criminals can only be rehabilitated] by establishing an industrial or open prison in the Maldives that has already been successfully implemented and practised in the world," said Imran.
The minister said that the completion of the new prison in the Maldives will bring a major change to criminal activities.
The construction of a prison in Neykurendhoo was first announced in 2010. However, the project has yet to see fruition.
