Prison Officers’ Association Urges Caution on Prison Labour

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) is urging caution over Government’s proposal to use convicted inmates sentenced to hard labour to assist with maintaining public spaces under the National Programme for the Upkeep of Public Spaces (NPUPS).

The proposal was announced by Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander, who said inmates could help with community clean-up efforts following the closure of CEPEP, describing the prison population as “the largest labour force in the nation.” He said the initiative could also provide inmates with an opportunity to demonstrate their readiness for reintegration into society.

In response, the POA said it supports rehabilitation through structured work programmes but stressed that any expansion of external inmate labour must be backed by proper planning, security measures, staffing and resources. The association said only carefully selected convicted inmates should participate, with eligibility based on medical fitness, behavioural assessments, security evaluations and the amount of time already served.

The association also warned that supervising inmates outside prison facilities requires trained prison officers, secure transportation, reliable communication equipment and clear operational procedures. It expressed concern that existing shortages of staffing and operational resources could compromise the safety of officers, inmates and the public if these issues are not addressed first.

The POA further noted that overcrowding, an increasing remand population and limited resources continue to place pressure on the prison system. It said rehabilitation initiatives should be accompanied by greater investment in staffing, infrastructure, communication systems, transportation and improvements to the criminal justice system to ensure any programme is implemented safely and effectively.