The cost of housing inmates at the Central Prison
With the number of unsolved crimes, you’d be surprised by the population of the Belize Central Prison, which is run by the Kolbe Foundation. On this week’s Dickie Bradley Special, Kolbe C.E.O. John Woods and the Superintendent of the Prison Taheera Ahmad, appeared as guests. They discussed a number of issues on the handling of crimes and criminals, including the number female inmates and how much it costs to run the prison.
Taheera Ahmad, Superintendent of Prisons
“Our population at this moment is one thousand, three hundred and six—at least up to last night. We have thirty females, approximately sixty-six young men and the rest would be adult male inmates.”
Dickie Bradley
“And how many buildings are they housed in?”
Taheera Ahmad
Taheera Ahmad
“We have approximately five to eight different sections inside the prison; that includes the female section, the youth area, the remanded population which is approximately five hundred inmates, five hundred including the youths and females.”
Dickie Bradley
“Remanded?”
Taheera Ahmad
“Yeah, they are all remanded. That also includes inmates that are currently on appeal as well because you have approximately fifty inmates that are appellants, they have been convicted and appealed.”
Dickie Bradley
“Can you tell our viewers like out of that amount—because some prisoners can’t get bail because for some strange unlawful reason in this country, although the constitution provides that you are entitled to bail, we in Belize once you’re charged for murder the courts don’t want to give bail—about how many people are in prison who are charged for a capital offence awaiting…”
Taheera Ahmad
“I think it’s about, I would say approximately one hundred and fifty to two hundred inmates that are currently facing murder charges.”
John Woods
Dickie Bradley
“Are you at liberty to share with us approximately how much money it takes to run the prison on an annual basis? Seven million?”
John Woods, Kolbe Foundation
“Seven million yeah—well that was with the numbers when we were up to fourteen hundred and so on.”
Dickie Bradley
“But it’s still between six and seven. That’s a lot of money.”
John Woods
“It’s closer to six now.”
Dickie Bradley
“So a government comes in and it’s six and a half million dollars a year, at the end of a five year period you’re talking thirty-odd million dollars.”
John Woods
“Right.”
The prison population also includes about sixty mentally challenged inmates; some who have been convicted of heinous crimes.
WHAT!!!!! DICKIE WANTS MURDERS TO BE GIVEN BAIL. ME NUH KNOW BOUT YOU BUT I RATHER THEY STAY IN JAIL UNTIL THEY ARE LIKE HOW WE SAY IN BELIZE “ACQUITED”
And what about the money that the inmates pay to live better? It will be good if they send an open letter to the media and show in what this six to seven millions are spend. That is a very good scam. All this time i was thinking that this was a private thing i didnt know that our tax money go there. Can some one explain how this work? Thank God i have no family in there.why people from outside? Dont we have smart people here in Belize?. I know from very well known drug dealers that they pay a lot of money so they could have prevelages in jail. If you dont belive me just go out on a week end at popular bar in Corozal and you will hear their big loud mouth.
I think that the treatment at that facility encourages inmates to go back since out here sucks for many of them. i know of a few guys who have done serious crimes and are let out just because they behave when they are there and they come out and do the same thing that they were sent there for. i think that the treatment should be really inhumane so that they can learn a lesson since i believe that the absence of job is not an excuse to encourage crime, go and farm in the bushes or grow something to sell, that is work. My 2 cents.
!@ dick bradley and the red and blue bzn lawfirm,7 million$$$$ to run a shackcalled prison?whatbig crooks they are,the conditions in which prisoners live in taht jail i hear they live worst than animals.someone is making millionsfrom that prison scam,and certainly they are lawyers again,starting with bradley who is a lawyer himself,
Interesting to hear Bradley talk about prison conditions. I wonder if he has a conscience about how many of these murderers he got off only to have them killed. He needs to understand every murderer he sets free someone will loose their life. Repent Bradley.
John Woods is a businessman. Plain and Straight. This is why he wants to house the homeless at Kolbe because the Government pays him for every head that is incarcerated. So don’t be fooled by this “solution” to the homelessness problem. No where in this modern world is this type of violation of person’s rights tolerated. Incarceration of the homeless and mentally ill amounts to criminalizing poverty and mental illness because once these people are secure in Kolbe, they will not be allowed to leave. The mayor should be ashamed of himself, especially since he has a legal background, for even considering depriving persons of their liberty under the guise of “helping” them. This is not an issue only for Belize and he should look to other countries who has had this problems for viable and dignified solutions to this problem.
Why should bail be given to someone who is not only a threat to the public but also a possible flight risk?”Hello Mr Bradley.”
This is what happen when prison is made for pampering, what else deh mi think wah happen!!
7 million to run the prison? im sure taheera is getting 3 million of that. because the inmates at the prison when they are sick they give them donated expired meds, prison officers are under paid and taheera treats the workers like inmates and treat the inmates like animals. she also takes out prisoners that are the most behaved to do outside work n they are the same inmates that built her house and the government doesnt know this is going on, im saying this because i use to work there.
Dickey Bradley… all knows where he stands and where he get his money….
Those attacking the prison seem to lack the education and simple common sense to understand what is taking place there. it’s very obvious, your ignorance and small mindedness when you choose to attack someone’s character and speak of a facility that you have no clue of what is really taking place and that you are just a dummy.. If u cared enough you’d visit the facility n ask them questions, talk to the reformed inmates, rather than hide your hate, your jealousy and your envy behind these posts.
@Padi driver, u deserved to be fired, you have no sense of direction in yr life, infact they should not have fired or terminated you they should have made you go thru the programs to help yr self esteem and self worth.
On Dickie, that’s another story.