Government begins construction on an area of approximately 14,000 square meters of covered buildings
The challenge of strengthening the prison system within the framework of prison reform in the country remains an outstanding task in public policy. The eastern region of the Dominican Republic is part of the government's plans, and therefore, yesterday, Thursday, May 21st, the groundbreaking ceremony was held to advance the path towards a more humane, better organized prison system with improved capacity to respond to the realities of the country.
This was announced by the Minister of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (MIVHED), Víctor -Ito- Bisonó, when he formally started the construction work of the new Hato Mayor Correction and Rehabilitation Center.
“And part of that transformation also involves territoriality. It involves building capacity in different provinces and regions so that the system can operate with greater balance, with adequate spaces and conditions that allow for the proper development of rehabilitation and reintegration processes,” the official stated.
He said that the project's commencement represents an important step for the region and for the transformation of the Dominican prison system. "And we are doing so understanding something essential: infrastructure can also become a tool for improving people's lives, for organization, and for creating new opportunities," he stated.
The Director General of Penitentiary and Correctional Services, Roberto Santana, stated that this new Penitentiary Center will be built with the standards and guidelines presented by the MIVHED, but with local labor and supplies so that, simultaneously, the economy in Hato Mayor is stimulated.
The authorities who led the start of construction of the Hato Mayor Correction and Rehabilitation Center. (External source).
This is how the work will be
The MIVHED statement specifies that the prison complex will be built on a strategic territorial extension designed to house 400 inmates, on a total land area of 59,932 square meters, in a construction area of approximately 14,000 square meters of roofed and functional buildings.
He adds that the design will focus on comprehensive rehabilitation, breaking with the traditional model of incarceration by incorporating multiple modules designed for the education, work, and recreation of inmates, distributed across Security and Housing Modules. These include the ECO 1 Building, an administrative block with observation cells, medium-security cells, and VTP housing. The design also emphasizes education and culture, equipped with classrooms and a library for the intellectual development of inmates.
He specifies that to guarantee productivity and skills development, it will have a workshop building and a multipurpose workshop for technical and vocational training. In addition, it will have an agricultural area and a farm (for raising rabbits and chickens), promoting self-sufficiency and agricultural and technical learning.
Well-being and coexistence are visualized in dedicated spaces such as a dining room, conjugal cells, two basketball courts, and an area for dog care.
The press document details that to ensure the proper logistical, administrative and visitor functioning, the center will have 57 strategically distributed parking spaces (27 general parking spaces for light vehicles, motorcycles and accessible spaces; 27 private parking spaces and exclusive areas for services and buses).
It will also be equipped with a high-engineering service area that includes a cistern house and a power plant house, a customs area for access control, and specific houses for garbage disposal and a gas tank.
Bisonó was accompanied by the Director General of Budgets, José Rijo; the Governor of the province of Hato Mayor, Maribel Simón; the Director General of Penitentiary and Correctional Services, Roberto Santana; the senator of the province, Cristobal Venerado Castillo, among other prominent personalities from the area.
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