THE Fiji Prisons and Corrections Department's budgetary allocation for next year has decreased from $15.9million to $14.9m in the National Budget announcement yesterday.
The department has shifted from being a correctional facility to a rehabilitation-oriented department and is now responsible for the safe, secure and humane treatment of persons in custody by providing opportunities to correct offending behaviours.
Commissioner Prisons Ioane Naivalurua said he was not present at the National Budget announcement yesterday and therefore he could not comment on their allocation.
He said he would comment after he had a look at the Budget address.
The department has been given $700,000 for the upgrade of prison officers' quarters and institutions, $100,000 to upgrade its telecommunications and CCTV (closed circuit television) camera network and $800,000 for the maintenance and upgrade of the cell blocks.
The department has been given $10,800 for its farm development, $100,000 for bakery and $30,000 for training costs.
The department has introduced programs in line with its new reform-oriented approach.
The Yellow Ribbon Project, which was launched two years ago as a rehabilitation project through which prisoners are given a second chance to be a part of the community, received $100, 000.
