150 Years of Corrections, but same old problems: Opposition MP

The Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) has marked 150 years since its establishment, but Opposition Member of Parliament Premila Kumar says the milestone means little if the country’s prisons remain overcrowded, unsafe, and burdened by long-standing issues.

The anniversary, celebrated last week, highlighted the service’s evolution from a colonial-era system focused on punishment to a modern institution aimed at rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders.

Responding to Minister Siromi Turaga's ministerial statement yesterday, Ms Kumar argued that beneath the celebrations lies a system still struggling with basic problems that have persisted for decades.

“The Government may celebrate 150 years of corrections, but the simple question is, what has actually been corrected?” Ms Kumar asked.

Ms Kumar further highlighted that Fiji’s prisons continue to operate beyond capacity, with poor health conditions and weak management systems that put both inmates and staff at risk.

“The Suva Remand Centre was built in 2013 for 200 offenders, but it now holds over 280. In Labasa, a facility designed for a few inmates is now overcrowded. These conditions are inhumane. They breed violence, disease, and despair,” she said.

She said despite past reforms such as the Yellow Ribbon Project, overcrowding, contraband smuggling, and poor healthcare still remain serious problems.

“Many inmates come in with untreated illnesses like HIV and tuberculosis. There’s still no proper follow-up system to ensure their medical care. This puts both prisoners and officers at risk,” she said.

Ms Kumar also pointed to growing concerns about corruption and abuse of power within the FCS.

She claimed that drugs and mobile phones continue to find their way into prisons, exposing “systemic weaknesses and corruption within the service.”

“We must stop pretending that the passage of time equals progress. One hundred and fifty years means nothing if the same problems persist,” she said.

Ms Kumar urged the Government to make real reforms that protect both inmates and officers and restore public trust in the correctional system.

“If prison numbers keep increasing and human dignity continues to be ignored, we need to fix the basics first,” she said.

Feedback: rariqi.turner@fijisun.com.fj