Gov’t Extends Deadline for Proposals on Central Prison and Hope Island Projects
Minister for Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan | Photo: Ministry for Homeland Security
The government has extended the deadline for submitting proposals for the development of a central prison complex and the ‘Hope Island’ rehabilitation centre for juvenile offenders in Uthuru Thila Falhu.
The initiative aims to consolidate the nation’s existing prisons, currently located on various islands, into a single central facility while also establishing a dedicated rehabilitation centre for minors exposed to criminal environments.
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The projects will be implemented under a contractor-finance model. In a recent announcement, the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology stated that the deadline for expressions of interest has been extended to encourage more participation in the tender process.
The Hope Island project will involve dredging 15 hectares of land. The facility will accommodate up to 700 people, including staff, and will feature residential units, an education hub, a training facility, sports amenities, a medical facility, a mosque with a capacity for 700 people, and a community and family area.
Previously, the government indicated that children admitted to Hope Island would remain there until they reach 18 years old. The facility is intended to provide a range of programmes aimed at improving behaviour, education, training, job experience, and other opportunities for rehabilitation.
The construction of the prison complex will involve the dredging of 30 hectares of land. The complex will include residential units, a drug rehabilitation facility, a halfway house, an education and training facility, a mosque with a capacity for 1,000 people, and a medical unit. The centralised prison complex is designed to address the challenges of managing services across multiple prisons located on different islands.
Applications for the contractor-finance implementation of the project must be submitted by 02:00 pm on 18 May. Full details have been published in the government gazette.
