Conditions at the Scarborough Prison are “untenable, and cannot be allowed to continue”, Chief Secretary Orville London stressed on Monday.

London told reporters that he has suggested a “modular approach” to housing the island’s prisoners as an alternative to the current “inhumane” conditions at the prison. He was speaking after a meeting with National Security Minister retired Major General Edmund Dillon at the Administrative Complex in Calder Hall, Scarborough.

“That could be done in a reasonable time to accommodate these inmates, who are now housed in very, very unfavourable circumstances at Scarborough,” London said.

“I was very heartened when the Minister indicated that he is prepared to have that discussion. I feel very, very strongly that we cannot allow the prisoners to continue in those inhumane conditions very much longer.”

Dillon said this is one of the areas “we really want to give priority to this because we do not want this to continue much longer at this point in time. We discussed the modular approach which gives us an opportunity for the way going forward”.

Dillon said he had seen this modular approach in operation in the United States which can work here and “we can use it to bring some relief”.