By Rayane Abou Jaoude
ROUMIEH, Lebanon: Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel expressed outrage Monday at the decrepit conditions inside Roumieh Prison’s Block D despite the fact that renovation work on the building is nearing completion. “What I have seen so far, in all honesty, is unacceptable,” Charbel said during a visit to the prison. “I refuse to pay another lira until [the block] follows the [blueprint] that was made.”
Renovation work on Block D began about seven months ago, and two other buildings are currently undergoing maintenance as well. Approximately $2 million have been allocated for work on each of the buildings.
Charbel said that the Interior Ministry and the director-general of the Internal Security Forces would cooperate in order to ensure a better job was done in the renovation of the remaining two buildings, and that both the contractor and the person behind drawing up the plans for the renovations would be reprimanded.
“Let the contractor hear this, both the contractor and the one who made the blueprint, let them both be reprimanded,” he said.
“Rather than improve the situation of the prison and the prisoners, we have paid millions and the prison has remained unchanged, so much so that health issues have been disregarded,” Charbel said as he toured Block D. He criticized the condition of the toilets, and lack of water availability and the missing panes from the windows.
He vowed that no more money would be spent until Block D was properly renovated, and emphasized that he would not let this incident slide.
“It is unfortunate that we have reached this point,” Charbel said. “People think that since it’s a state-owned institution, there’s no need to take it seriously.”
After crossing the muddy path leading to it, Block D emerges, looking in better shape than the rest of the buildings with its freshly painted walls and black steel gates. But one is quickly reminded of the deteriorating conditions of the prison as the block shares a weed-infested courtyard with another abandoned and rundown building.
Although the cells in the block look large enough to accommodate two, maybe three, prisoners at most, up to 10 prisoners have shared the rooms and tiny bathrooms at times, a member of the Internal Security Forces who asked to remain anonymous said. He added that no one knows how many prisoners will share the cell after the renovations are finalized.
Charbel also visited a renovated courtroom in the prison and said it was now in excellent condition and ready to be used for trials, not only of detained Islamists but all prisoners.
He also urged the Higher Judicial Council and justice minister to begin using the courtroom as soon as possible, instead of having to transport the prisoners to the court in Adlieh.
“This courtroom can fit up to 500 or 600 prisoners, and it will be used as another prison block if trials don’t begin soon,” he warned.
Copyrights 2011, The Daily Star - All Rights Reserved
16/07/2013
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2013/Jul-16/223811-charbel-outraged-at-poor-prison-renovation.ashx#axzz2ZBKpLaaQ
