COSPROD Doing Well – Dr. Phillips

Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips has said that the Correctional Services Production Company (COSPROD), a rehabilitation programme in the island’s adult penal institutions has been doing well.
The programme, which involves the production of agricultural produce, vegetable farming, animal and poultry farming and block production had produced a surplus during last year.
Although he did not divulge the profit, Dr. Phillips said that three institutions were involved in the programme. They are the Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre in St. Catherine, the Richmond Farm Adult Correctional Centre in St. Mary and ‘Brickyard’ at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre.
Dr. Phillips said that some 500 inmates were involved in the programme.
The Minister made the disclosure while responding to questions from Opposition Spokesman on National Security, Derrick Smith, at the Standing Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday (April 6) to examine the Estimates of Expenditure at Gordon House.
Meanwhile, he said a new Board would be appointed soon to oversee the COSPROD programme.
“It is proposing to expand the scope of its productive work, particularly to facilitate the rehabilitation programmes about which we are all interested and they are going to try and expand that,” the Minister said.
Meanwhile, the programme has been allotted $5 million in the 2004/05 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.
The provision is for equity contribution to COSPROD to assist with the continuation of its project at Tamarind Farm and Richmond Farm Adult Correctional Centres.
It will also finance the administrative costs and the requirements for undertaking agricultural activities.