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Date
: 29/03/2006
Source: Department of Correctional Services
Title: Jacobus: Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services
meeting
Statement by Deputy Minister L Jacobus on behalf of
Ministers N Balfour to the meeting of the Portfolio Committee on
Correctional Services
The Minister of Correctional Services N Balfour (MP) has noted the
invitation from the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee to avail
himself for a further discussion on the strategic plan and budget
(Vote 20) of Correctional Services.
It is unfortunate, however, that the date coincides with a meeting
of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS)
Cabinet Committee where the Ministers are discussing the Government
Programme of Action for 2006/07. The Minister has requested me to
inform the Committee that for this reason he regrets that he is
unable to attend this meeting.
The Minister does, however, wish to place on record that due to the
seriousness of the project of construction of correctional centres
for government and the Department, he would have loved to attend
the meeting to interact with Members of this Committee personally.
He has also noted with grave concern that the matter has, over the
past week, been carried in the media in a manner that can only be
described as inaccurate.
It is the view of the Minister, the management of the Department
and myself that an urgent intervention is needed to clarify the
misconceptions that have been created as a result of the negative
reporting on this matter. In this regard, the Minister humbly
requests the Chairperson to, at a the earliest available
opportunity, convene a special meeting where the Department will
present another comprehensive progress report that will provide
details on the status of the four correctional centres whose
construction was announced in 2002 as well as the additional four
that have been announced by the President in his State of the
Nation Address in February this year. Representatives from the
Department of Public Works and National Treasury, as partners in
this project, will be invited to attend this special meeting.
In the meantime, however, the Minister would like to once again
dispel the inaccuracies that have been made about the project and
that there has not been any reallocation or movement of funds from
the budget of the construction of the new centres to other
projects.
We would like to conclude by emphasising that the department is
ready, able and committed to use the construction of correctional
centres and other projects to contribute to economic growth and
development.
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
29 March 2006
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