Fiji prisons seek profit from labour

August 14, 2009 10:55:09 AM

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Commercialization and self sustainability is becoming a reality for the Fiji Prisons and Correctional Services with over 100 thousand taro tops and 26,600 cassava plots planted at the commercial site known as “Field 25” in Naboro.

Field 25 is one of the commercial flagships of the FPCS and there are projections that by the end of October 120,000 taro tops will be in the ground and by the end of December the number will reach 200,000.

So far 10 acres of a proposed 45 acres have been utilised and by the end of the September another 20 acres will be farmed.

A rough estimate of the enormity of the commercial programme, one plot of cassava should earn $5-00 making the current total yield of 26,600 valued at $133,000 as at yesterday.

With a labour force of 100 a day, 5000 plots are planted.

Prisons spokesman Fred Elbourne said “there are also plans to cultivate another 40 acres of land around the vicinity of the FPCS piggery and poultry farms, where taro and various types of vegetables will be grown”.

The move from subsistence farming to commercial is part of the Prisons Commissioner Brigadier General Ioane Naivalurua’s intent and the institution's realignment with the Fiji Prisons and Correctional Act 2006.

“The Commissioner’s intent is to develop all the FPCS available real estate as revenue earning opportunities after self sustainability is attained with a contingency level of 20 percent and the balance for commercial purposes.”

“With the availability of real estate, labour force and a regimented life style, the FPCS have the necessary ingredients for a successful commercial enterprise. As a rehabilitation programme, this sets the scene for the survival of inmates on their release; it gives them an idea of what commercialisation all about,” added Elbourne.

“Field 25 is the benchmark for the inmates to strive for, if they want to go commercial.”

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