Illegal Immigrants Wing planned at HMP

The BVI Government may soon build a wing at Her Majesty's Prison (HMP) to accommodate the increasing number of illegal immigrants apprehended in the BVI. Under normal circumstances and for a number of years, the BVI Government had often utilized local hotels to keep illegal immigrants while their status was being clarified. There have been repeated incidents where up to seven aliens escaped from the hotel rooms and were never found.

During a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee the subject of a facility for illegal immigrants was raised. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Culture Mrs. Josephine Callwood told the Committee that she had not seen any submission for the new wing for illegal immigrants, which was in conjunction with a building being constructed by the Chief Minister’s Office and wondered if that new wing was still to be built.

The Minister of Finance then asked the Minister of Education and Culture Hon. Lloyd Black what was the estimated cost for the new wing. Hon. Black replied that he believed the estimated cost was about $500,000 and he wondered if that project could have been placed under the Chief Minister’s Office since it was for Immigration purposes. The Minister of Finance agreed that the new wing project should be done under the Chief Minister’s Office.

In other unrelated HMP’s matters, the Standing Finance Committee added $17,500 to the funds that were allocated in the 2005 budget for improvements to Her Majesty’s Prison namely the Prison’s Sewerage Plant.

At the meeting the representative for the Third District Hon. Julian Fraser asked the Committee if that money was sufficient for the sewerage system.

Minister of Finance Hon. Ronnie Skelton confirmed that the funds would be adequate.