Prison Workers
p. 69 · Read in the full issue
Papua New Guinea now seems certain to go ahead with a plan to use prisoners as labourers on public works projects.
Australia used outside prison labour in PNG until 10 years ago, but stopped the practice after receiving a sharp rap over the knuckles from the United Nations. A visiting UN delegation which saw prisoners working on a road had criticised Australia for “eroding human dignity”.
The Minister for Corrective Institutions, Mr Pita Lus, confirmed in the National Parliament that he was going ahead with his proposals to use prison labour “productively”. Mr Lus said he saw no objections to employing prisoners on public works projects and maintenance, and had recommended this to Cabinet.
This did not mean that prisoners could be used for private work. A report of the Law Reform Commission, published in Port Moresby in June, also accepts in principle the use of prison labour for public works.
The chairman of the commission, Mr Ber nard Narokobi, said that proper procedures would need to be established.