Gov’t expenses at Castle Maria continue to balloon — Penn
Opposition members grilled officials recently over the escalating monies being spent at various hotels and other places around the territory to house immigration detainees.
During the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) stage of recent budget deliberations, Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn asked former Chief Immigration Officer Ian Penn about the long-term implications of utilising hotels such as Castle Maria to accommodate detainees.
The hotel has been used as a temporary immigration detention facility for years but has seen repeated escapes by detainees over that time, with the most recent occurrence happening after Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley claimed that security had been fortified to prevent this from happening.
In the meantime, Penn reportedly told lawmakers that the cost to use Castle Maria continues to balloon the budget and shared that steps are being considered to remedy the problem in the long term.
Three detainees reportedly escaped in September last year after a group of seven persons that had been found at Great Thatch had been placed at the hotel some days before their escape.
Penn further explained that the department realised that having the use of Castle Maria is very costly and expensive. However, he said the bold step to build or get a new facility, which would be a proper detention centre, has already commenced.
According to the former Immigration Chief, a site has been identified and drawings are currently being done to the specifications for a detention centre. He added that the drawings will be made to international standards taking into consideration human rights and other things.
Lawmakers were advised that land has been allocated near HM Prison at Balsum Ghut for the detention centre.
It was also indicated that planning efforts concerning the project are expected to intensify this year.
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That exploitation of taxpayers money is allowed to go on its nothing broad daylight corruption by big boys and girls / but miss wiggie won’t holler out on that / he is only programmed to holler out on the UK/ and the governors as a distraction and drama
Places for detention for Immigration purposes are all police stations in the Territory and the prison…it is the dam law.
All that money yal been using to use this place, could have already gone into building an immigration detention center, seeing as this is a regular issue in the territory, then u wont have escapees, lackadaisical security, and a total S**T SHOW and embarrassment! but clearing yal sittin on yal brains. Stupidness still isnt and will never be sense!
It’s a way of giving our money to friends and supporters of the Premier and gvt. Castle Maria is much cheaper but must be out of favour.
“That exploitation of taxpayers money is allowed to go on its nothing broad daylight corruption by big boys and girls.”
Has that establishment come under newmanagement since the depature of the Honorable owner? Asking for a my ffriendship who do not know.
I wonder who owns Castle Maria and raking in the cash ?
Bulding detain center to house illegal immigrants will they be treated different than prisoner at the HMP
If it cost $250,000 to build the bathrooms in Festival Grounds, and a million dollars (or whatever) for Julian’s wall, how much would a detention centre cost?
Put them on the first flight out
The people making these decisions are benefiting..My one question. What role does the PS plays in continuing these bad decisions.? These decisions not only been bad for long but being failing for long
ReX FeRaL is correct, very correct.
Why complain it was always a set up the rich will be getting richer! But listen when time get hard! We know where to find you guys! You’ll would be hunted! Better build tall walls! And stay on your property!
I heard that the Premier’s Christmas party at the * Restaurant cost $60-$80,000 for the night. Just seems a way to give our money to his late mentor’s family.
I meant the other Maria’s, the one by the Pub.