The Fiji Prison Story

On the 10th October, 1874, the first Gaol was established at Totogo Government Station in Levuka, Ovalau. It was then completed administered by the police with the Gazetted appointment of a Gaoler, a warder, and one to be a goaler and a police sub -inspector.

The Goal accommodation through out the colony was in every way inadequate. As settlement of the colony took place, other goals which were nothing more than “Lock-ups” were established. These goals were built where ever a Magistrate is located, and were made of reeds and stones and built in Fijian style bure.

In 1911, the accommodation in Suva Gaol was inadequate for its requirements. A construction on a new building was started from 1912 and completed in 1913. The building known as the Main Cell Block (MCB) contained 171 cells. By this time several industries have started at the gaol; door mat-making, brush making, tinsmith, blacksmith and tailoring.

A committee appointed by His Excellency the Governor on 25th July, 1922, to consider further reduction of Public Expenditure recommended that all uniforms required by Government Departments be made in Suva Gaol Tailor shop. An Indian Tailor was then engaged as Tailor Instructor. Also by this time prison labour under the supervision and direction of the European Overseer was involved in general maintenance of Suva Gaol, on plumbing, painting and minor repairs, at the same time provided a means of useful and instructive work for prisoners generally.

A new approach of custodial duties and responsibilities was introduced in 1925 when five (5) Juvenile Offenders (under the age of 16) was committed to Suva Gaol. Every effort was made to keep this class of offenders apart from the adult criminals.

In 1929, 7 Juvenile Offenders were segregated to the island of Makuluva under the charge of a European Caretaker. During the year punishment inflicted for breaches of Prison Regulations were; flogging, forfeiture of marks, solitary confinement with reduced diet, and solitary confinement.

In 1938, October 29th, seventeen juveniles were transferred from the island of Makuluva to the New Reformatory situated on a 15 acre Government Agricultural Farm 9 Miles from Suva.

In 1965, two incidents took place at Suva Gaol which showed the danger of overcrowding and the need for more gaols, and a security prison to house violent criminals.

In light of these incidents the Prison Farm at Naboro (Medium Security Prison) was completed, 96 prisoners’ mainly first and second offenders between the ages of 17 and 23 years with sentence not less than 9 months were accommodated.

In March 13th, 1969 the first stage of the Minimum Security Gaol was opened holding a capacity of 80 prisoners, and by 1st August, the second stage of the gaol was completed taking the total capacity to 160.

In 1973 the Lautoka Remand Block was completed, the Naboro Poultry Farm was established, the site work for the Reformative Training Centre (Nasinu Prison) was started and on 10th December, the Naboro Security Prison (Maximum Security Prison) was opened with a capacity of accommodating 60 prisoners. The transfer of the Prison Bakery from Suva to Naboro took place earlier which was then completed on 6th August.

In 1976, a barrack type quarters at Korovou, Suva was converted to a Female Prison by the Prisons Service Building Unit and completed in July. All women prisoners in Levuka Gaol were transferred there. Levuka Gaol was reverted to a male prison. By November, the Reformative Training Centre (RTC/Nasinu Prison) was completed by the Public Works Department.

In 1979/1980 early on New Year’s Day a Prison Riot erupted causing havoc at Suva and Lautoka Prisons and to a lesser extent at Labasa Prison. The estimated value of all properties damaged including all miscellaneous expenses was $400,000.00.

On 11th February, 1980 the Fiji Prisons Service became part and parcel of the Ministry of Home Affairs and was no longer a branch of the Ministry of Urban Development, Housing and Social Welfare.

In 1983, three (3) important part of the prison system was introduced.

1. The opening of the newly built Staff Training College in Naboro (STC).
2. The creation of a post of Social Welfare Officer to be included in our staff establishment.
3. The appointment of a full time Prison Chaplain by the Fiji Council of Churches.

A new unit of Rehabilitation & Training Unit was established in 1993. This saw the birth of the new transition from containment to correction. A new legislation known as Prisons & Correction Bill was passed in 2006.


From Colonial Times

The Fiji Prisons Service have been in existence during the pre - colonial era when native Fijians who were captive of inter-state wars became external subjects of punishment of the visitors, apart from the barbarous means of punishment which included death.

Following colonization, an introduction of Native Policy aimed at legalizing social disorders and provided means of addressing them which included imprisonment. Thus the establishment of district goals to cater for offenders who violated native laws which included defaulters of paying native taxes.

The first established provincial goals throughout the country with the authorized number of inmates:

NO	LOCATIONS	MALE PRISONERS	FEMALE PRISONERS
1	Namosau , Ba	6	Nil
2	Nabouwalu, Bua	14	Nil
3	Vunisawa, Colo East	6	Nil
4	Nadarivatu, Colo West	12	Nil
5	Qalowalu, Lautoka	13	6
6	Lomaloma, Lau	14	Nil
7	Labasa, Macuata	30	6
8	Lawaqa, Nadroga	6	Nil
9	Vaileka, Ra	6	Nil
10	Naduruloulou, Rewa	6	Nil
11	Valeci, Savusavu	14	Nil
12	Waiyevo, Taveuni	12	Nil
13	Nadi, Nadi	6	Nil
14	Levuka, Lomaiviti	6	Nil
15	Vunisea, Kadavu	12	Nil

These local goals were under the supervision of District Commissioners. Native wardens were employed to control and supervise prisoners work. The prisoners work were confined to clearing and maintaining Government Stations, cutting firewood, planting root crops and minor road work. The exposure of people to cash economy resulted in increasing urban migration where, with generally limited education and work skills, they provided cheap labor in such public enterprises such as Gold Mines and the South Pacific Sugar Mills. More crimes inevitably erupted in urban crimes, hence the decentralization of Prison Institutions in urban centers in place of provincial goals.

The decentralizations of Prison Institutions realized its major development in the establishment of classified institutions at Naboro from 1967 and Nasinu in 1971. With the additional establishment of the Emergency Control Unit in 1983 that includes the Dog Section in 1985, the Naboro Complex caters for about half of the total national prisoner’s daily population. The Staff Training College is also part of the Naboro Complex.