Plans for the construction of a penitentiary institution on St. Eustatius have been adjusted. The Executive Council of St. Eustatius was informed about this decision of the Ministry of Security and Justice on Friday December 21st by Mr. Gerard Bakx, establishment director of the Penitentiary Institution Rotterdam (PI Rotterdam) who is the project leader for the new construction of the Penitentiary Institution Caribbean Netherlands (JICN) on Bonaire and St. Eustatius.
The initial plan was to start construction of a new concrete penitentiary institution on St. Eustatius in 2014 with a capacity of 30 spaces. The completion date was scheduled for 2015. Due to cut backs in spending in the European part of the Netherlands this plan will not continue as was intended. Although cut backs are required in both parts of the Netherlands, the State Secretary of Security and Justice, Teeven, has requested the Ministry to come up with a smaller and cheaper plan instead of taking the construction of a new penitentiary institution on Statia completely off the table. The State Secretary wants to be able to still deliver on a promise of three years ago.
The adjusted plan for the new prison on Statia will now have a flexible set up comprising mobile units of 12 cells with a capacity of 18 spaces. Construction will start and complete in 2015. In this respect the completion date in 2015 and the location at Man-o-War will remain unchanged. Although the plan will be smaller and cheaper the design of the new penitentiary institution will include several of the same features as were planned for the original construction. There will be smaller separate sections for women, youth, persons in pre-detention and persons who are convicted. The draft plan for the adjusted penitentiary institution for Statia has been presented to State Secretary Teeven for approval.
In 2013 Ministry of Security and Justice will start with the closure of several of the 29 penitentiary institutions in the European part of the Netherlands. This plan will spread out over 2013 until 2017. These closures are planned as part cuts backs in spending in the Netherlands.