00:00What started as a suggestion by Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander to use prisoners sentenced to hard labor to perform
00:08tasks such as grass cutting and community upkeep has now blown over into a full-fledged debate.
00:15The described duties are similar to some that were previously undertaken by CPAP workers.
00:22Parts of the minister's statements are already being disputed, like describing the prison as the nation's largest workforce.
00:29Across the nine facilities, there are approximately, according to 2026 data, 3,802 inmates, 2,270 on-demand, and 1
00:42,532 convicted.
00:45Of the convicted, not all can perform hard labor.
00:49That aside, let's take a look at what prison rules say about the payment inmates receive for their labor.
00:55Rule number one, prisoners serving sentences that include hard labor are not paid during their first 13 weeks behind bars.
01:05From the 14th to the 52nd week, eligible inmates can earn just 50 cents per week.
01:12That increases to 70 cents a week after one year in custody before reaching a maximum of 90 cents weekly
01:21after approximately two and a half years.
01:24But even those amounts are not guaranteed.
01:27The rules say promotions through the pay grades may be delayed based on a prisoner's conduct and work performance,
01:34while inmates can be demoted or fined up to a week's wages for idleness, unsatisfactory work, or misconduct.
01:43Prisoners receiving treatment at hospital are not credited with wages,
01:47while those in the prison infirmary may receive payment only at the discretion of prison authorities.
01:54Any earnings accumulated during the inmate sentence are paid only upon release.
01:59This disclosure comes as government pushes to expand prison labor programs,
02:04arguing inmates can contribute to national development while gaining discipline and work experience.
02:11But already, the decades-old remuneration scale is fueling further debate
02:16over whether compensation for prison labor should be reviewed.
02:19Orvishit Wari Rubnarain, TV6 News.
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