SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth:

Work is now under way to refurbish the cell block at the Santa Cruz police station in St Elizabeth.

This follows an attempted jailbreak last month when prisoners tried to dig their way out of one of the cells on the over 100-year-old cell block.

A spokesperson in the Ministry of National Security told The Gleaner that work on the cell block was expected to be completed in time for the opening of the Easter session of the circuit court on June 16.

On May 13, during a routine check on the prisoners in the cell block at the station, police personnel discovered that makeshift diggers were used to dig a hole in the rear of one of the cells.

The prisoners' bid to escape was dashed when they met upon a reinforced concrete wall to the rear of the cell block.

The cell block at the Santa Cruz police station is said to have been constructed with a mixture of mortar, stone and dirt.

In the meantime, The Gleaner has learnt that plans are well advanced for the construction of a new police station to replace the old structure at Lacovia.

Work being done

A Ministry of National Security spokesperson outlined that work on the new police station at Lacovia was scheduled to begin before the end of the year.

In the meantime, the spokesperson says work is being done on several other police stations across the island.

Identification rooms equipped with two-way mirrors are to be constructed at Ocho Rios in St Ann, Richmond in St Mary and Mandeville in Manchester.