Prison visits banned

As of Monday, March 16, all visits to the island's facilities will be suspended for two weeks. The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said that during this period, the public will not be allowed to take food or care packages to correctional centres.

More 4,000 inmates are currently housed at correctional facilities islandwide. The DCS said that the ban on visits is aimed at preventing the likelihood of COVID-19 within the prison population.

The DCS also said that walk-in visits to probation aftercare offices are also suspended.

"We will do everything within our power to safeguard the health and wellness of our inmates, wards and staff, Commissioner of Corrections, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret'd) Gary Rowe said.

The prison authorities said that there are no guarantees that visits to its facilities will resume after the two weeks have passed.