TRINIDAD company Kee-Chanona Limited in collaboration with Nabi Construction Inc has been awarded a $3, 562, 081, 575 for construction of the Mazaruni Prison, Minister of State Joseph Harmon has announced.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing on Friday, Minister Harmon said the new Mazaruni Prison will have a floor area of 68, 500 square feet and will include a four-storey building, recreational courtyard, dormitory-style accommodation with classrooms, a library and self-contained cells. Some 400 prisoners will be accommodated there, he told reporters.

Back in October, bids were invited for expansion of the prison. The prison is being expanded as a result of the fire which destroyed the Camp Street jail earlier this year, as well as the overcrowding at other penitentiaries across the country.

It is with that compounding situation, that a site at the Mazaruni Prison was identified for construction of the new wing which is expected to house approximately 400 prisoners. In October, the estimated bid being tendered was for the sum of $2.8B.
Earlier this year, the sum of $278M was approved by Cabinet for the first phase of the project.

The works will include renovation of the bachelors’ quarters, trade shop, the dormitories, B-63 living quarters, spinster quarters and the senior bachelors’ quarters at the prison. The estimated cost for the works is $26.1M.
Other works include repairs to the self-acting sluices located at the front and east of the prison, the wharf, and the culverts located to the north and west of the prison at an estimated cost of $20M.

Ongoing works at the Mazaruni Prison include the construction of 20 living quarters to accommodate additional prison officers, in anticipation of the new influx of approximately 400 prisoners to be housed at the location.
The living quarters will each contain three bedrooms, a living room, a patio, kitchen and a washroom.

Interested contractors were invited to bid for the project to be carried out through the National Competitive Bidding procedures as specified in the Procurement Act of 2003.