Holding cells in the West Bay and George Town police stations, dubbed “cages” by Police Commissioner David Baines last year, should soon be relics of the past.
The pre-fabricated modular buildings being constructed by Eagle Modular in the United States are nearing completion, while local companies have been invited to tender for the construction of the 24-bed detention center’s foundation. The new building will be located near the Fairbanks women’s prison.
The new detention site measures 4,250 square feet and can be expanded if necessary in the future, said Tim Tobin, president of Eagle Companies.
“Its floor plan design mimics what is being implemented throughout the U.K. in small police stations,” Mr. Tobin said in an email to the Caymanian Compass.
He added, “It is manufactured entirely of heavy structural and die formed steel. There is over 2,000 hours of precision steel welding. The overall weight of the facility exceeds 300,000 lbs. or 150 tons. This facility is custom designed to meet both the interior abuse of penal detention and the exterior climate demands of 150 mph hurricane forces.
“This facility has the current state-of-the-art communication, camera, intercom equipment throughout. It is also fully wet sprinkled. The facility is equipped with all the current code compliant life safety equipment to protect both the inmate and staff.”
The aging holding cells at the police stations at West Bay and George Town came under fire in a damning report by the U.K. Prison Inspectors last year.
The report stated, “The condition of the police custody suites at George Town and West Bay were extremely poor. We describe them as dirty, windowless, and hot. There were numerous safety issues and they were barely fit for human habitation. We were reassured that senior officers of police agreed with us, that they should be condemned and replaced as soon as possible.”
At a groundbreaking ceremony at the new site last September, Premier Alden McLaughlin said the Fairbanks site had been chosen because it was the “most appropriate area with the relevant zoning already in place,” so there was no need to purchase any additional land.
“[We] were using existing resources to improve our estate for temporary incarceration,” he said.
Wesley Howell, deputy chief officer, Ministry of Home Affairs, remarked that the requirements for cells considered compliant with human rights legislation were very rigid, and therefore the U.K. prisons advisor, Stephen Fradley, recommended that the Cayman Islands government choose a contractor with experience in creating this specific type of modular design for penal facilities. The contract was awarded to Eagle Modular. The company has created similar structures for locations in Canada and the U.S.
The forms and walls will be shipped to Grand Cayman, and the finished building will include 12 cells and additional rooms where breathlyzer tests, police interviews and attorney-client meetings can be held.
The detention center, rated to withstand a Category 5 hurricane, is anticipated to be completed at the end of February, at which point the old cells at the two police stations will no longer be used as holding rooms.
The design of new facility enables the separation of male, female and juvenile prisoners. Each individual closed-off cell has two bunks with an in-room toilet and sink, which makes them compliant with human rights legislation.
“The advantage of choosing a modular design is that it gives us the ability to more easily expand the facility in the future,” said Mr. Howell, “or relocate it to another site.”
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