Gizo Correctional Centre Security Fence Contract Signed

On Wednesday 2^nd October 2024, at Gizo in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands, a significant milestone was committed to with the signing of a contract to engage a local contractor, to undertake a major project to replace major areas of the inner and outer security fencing infrastructures which have been assessed as defect and no longer meeting the security operational requirements of the center.
This activity follows a strict procedural procurement process, with the Central Tender Board finally awarding the contract to engage last week.

This important occasion was undertaken by the engaged contractor SA Partners, with the companies General Manager Mr. Andrew signing the contract, in the presence of, and witnessed by the Correctional Service of Solomon Islands (CSSI) Deputy Commissioner Operations Mr. Michael Nagu, Commandant Gizo Correctional Centre (GCC) Mr, Joseph Tera, CSSI Director Infrastructure Mr. Max Simikera and Adviser CSSI Correctional Centre Operations Mr. George Samuel.

This process also acknowledges the ongoing major commitment and support being provided by the Australian Government in many areas of priority infrastructure development in CSSI, especially so in this matter, in providing funds for this emergent need at very short notice, following an urgent official request from the Commissioner CSSI in late May this year.

This request was needed as the required funding allocation was unable to be found in allocated budgets. This funding consideration by the Australian Government, also took into account the current security status of GCC, which for the past year and a half, has been encountering very high levels of inmate overcrowding, resulting in high assessed risks around secure containment, and the safety and security of the center, including the surrounding communities.

The Deputy Commissioner Operations thanked Mr. Duncan for his willingness to undertake the major project, one which requires specialized infrastructure materials and technical capability, in order to ensure that the end delivered project has some certainty of life span, in what is a very volatile and extremely harsh environment for all forms of infrastructure, being sited on the foreshore of Malakevara II in Gizo, Western Province.

The project timeframe is set for two (2) months to complete, once all specialized materials are landed to the construction site of GCC.

From (L-R) Deputy Commissioner Operation Michael Nagu, General Manager Mr. Andrew Duncan, Director Infrastructure Max Simikera and GCC Commandant Joseph Tera

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CSSI Press