Over 100 current inmates in Fiji’s Correctional facilities are over 60 years of age, with some quite sick and needing constant daily care.
And Commissioner of Corrections Dr Jalesi Nakarawa said these inmates are part of the Department’s submission to the Mercy Commission for a possible pardon because the cost of caring for them continues to rise.
“They have become a burden to the State. The officers are more like doing care giving to these inmates and there’s over 100 of them there that need help with simple things like changing. Some of them are serving life and because we are not equipped to cater for these situations, it has become an extra burden.”
“We also want to know who all can access or apply to the Mercy Commission. There is a lot of enquiry from the inmates, from the families as to who can apply.”
Dr Nakarawa said the Department was also looking at bettering facilities across all of Fiji’s prisons.
“We have plans in place and we are working to better ourselves in the delivery of the service we provide and also the facilities we have around the country.”
