Corrections Minister to visit Samoan prison

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga will visit a Samoan prison today to see first-hand how New Zealand Corrections staff are working to help create an independent and effective prison service in the Pacific nation.

New Zealand Corrections staff have been training and working alongside their Samoan counterparts in local prisons since its government decided in January this year to separate its police and prison services.

The new structure will mean the services will have separate reporting lines but will continue to share a minister.

“The first four months of the partnership have already delivered important changes including the establishment of core practice policies, health policies and an onsite health clinic. They have also developed human resources policies and procedures, and recruitment and training of prison staff,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

There are currently three prisons in Samoa, with a new and more modern prison due to be operational by mid-2016.

Mr Lotu-Iiga and Police Minister Michael Woodhouse will visit Tafa’igata Prison, the main prison in Samoa. There they will meet Police, Prison and Fire Services Minister Sala Fata Pinati and police and prison officials.

The initial agreement was that the New Zealand Corrections team would assist in Samoa until 30 June this year. This has been extended to 30 September to allow planning for longer-term support.

In 2012-13, under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Samoan government, Corrections assisted the Samoan Ministry of Police and Prisons to develop training, operational protocols and policy through the deployment of Corrections staff to Samoa.