Works are in progress to renovate the Richmond Farm Adult Correctional Centre, near Richmond in St. Mary.
During a recent tour of the facility, State Minister for National Security Zavia Mayne said that the aging institution is in need of improvement.
“The structure here is old. It’s a property that consists of approximately 300 hectares so, there is need, clearly, for some upgrades to be done here. What is good is that the work is underway…some work has started on the roof, a contract is in place (and) contractors are on premises,” he said.
He said the work can’t be done at once.
“The resources to transform this facility will be significant so this is not something that can be done at once. But bit by bit, there’s a programme, there’s a strategy and there’s a clear order in which things will be done,” he pointed out.
The Richmond Farm Adult Correctional Centre was formerly a sugar plantation and great house, before being commissioned into service in 1944, JIS reported.
As a farm institution, agriculture is one of the main activities at the facility. It is also regarded as a low security institution by the Department of Correctional Services.
