TERRITORY PREPARATION WORKS WILL BE CARRIED OUT TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW LIEPĀJA PRISON

Following the Government decision of 4 June 2020 to begin construction of the new Liepāja Prison in 2021, several procurements have been announced—procurements for construction supervision, a survey of the plot for explosive objects and unexploded ordnance, and a geotechnical survey, in order to ensure the necessary plot surveys and construction-site preparation works before construction begins. Intensive work is also under way to prepare the documentation for the construction works procurement, which is planned to be announced by July this year.   

The responsible authorities have worked intensively to reduce the overall costs of the new Liepāja Prison project as much as possible. With the involvement of the Latvian Association of Architects and experts from the Latvian Association of Civil Engineers, the prison construction project, its scope, and the materials to be used have been reviewed again wherever permissible and without affecting the facility’s security or functionality in any way.

 State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice Raivis Kronbergs: “With regard to all procurements for the construction preparation works, as well as for the construction of the prison, I would like to emphasise that, in organising them, evaluating tenders and supervising the construction quality process, our priority is to ensure the transparency of all activities. From the outset, we want to exclude any speculation and doubts about the influence of ‘cartels’ or other unlawful activities; therefore, it will be the duty and responsibility of the Ministry of Justice to ensure legality and transparency throughout the preparation and construction process. It should be emphasised that the construction of the prison will not affect expenditure from the State budget this year either, since the necessary financial resources are already at the disposal of SIA “Tiesu namu aģentūra”, the project implementer.”

To ensure a successful and faster construction process for the new prison, the design&build method, or the “design and build” method, is planned to be used. This will combine amendments to the construction project, author’s supervision and construction works in a single procurement, thereby requiring the successful bidder to assume full responsibility for implementing the project.

The total project costs, including design, construction works, construction-project expertise, author’s supervision, construction supervision, necessary equipment and taxes, as stipulated in the Cabinet decision on the construction of Liepāja Prison, amount to EUR 146 898 298.

The new prison will provide for a fundamentally different organisation of the execution of sentences, with extensive opportunities for the full social reintegration of prisoners, including employment opportunities for inmates, as well as facilities and opportunities for inmate training.  Accordingly, implementing a project of this scale by creating infrastructure that meets modern requirements and introducing a new approach to the execution of sentences will create the prerequisites during the serving of sentences for convicted persons to lead law-abiding lives in society, thereby reducing the commission of repeat offences. This will reduce the workload of law-enforcement bodies and the costs of investigating and prosecuting new offences and ensuring the execution of sentences. Implementing major public-sector orders during the COVID-19 crisis is one of the instruments for stimulating and revitalising economic processes—immediate investment is needed in the economy, particularly in the regions, to promote economic activity and employment both in construction and related sectors, creating new jobs.

According to estimates, approximately EUR 30–50 million will return to the State budget in the form of taxes as a result of the construction in the coming years, not including the positive economic and social effects in the future that will result from the implementation of the prison system reform, which is impossible without appropriate infrastructure. Once the new prison is commissioned, State budget expenditure on maintaining the old infrastructure will decrease significantly; the State invests in this infrastructure every year in order to guarantee public safety.

Uldis Sesks, Deputy Mayor of Liepāja for Strategic Planning, emphasises: “The need to build a new prison in Liepāja has been discussed for more than 10 years, and in 2011 the municipality even transferred land to the Ministry of Justice for the construction of such a facility in a remote part of the city, Zaļā birzs. I see a significant benefit of this project in removing an unsafe, old, worn-out and unsuitable prison from Liepāja’s historic centre, at the corner of Ganību and Kungu streets, while this site could be redeveloped into something more desirable for the city—more public and accessible. If the Government and the Ministry of Justice are directing substantial funds towards the construction of a new facility, which would employ Liepāja’s builders, as well as building-structure manufacturers and related industries, I would say that there are more arguments in favour of building the prison than against it. It would increase employment in the city not only during construction, but also afterwards, because such facilities usually also foster business development, production workshops are established, and the maintenance staff number several hundred employees, including psychologists, teachers and social workers; employees from other fields would also be added.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

·         To ensure that tenderers have access to the fullest possible information about the geotechnical condition of the plot intended for construction of the new prison and can prepare a proper tender, on 16 March 2021 SIA “Tiesu namu aģentūra” announced a procurement for a geotechnical survey of the site.

·         Since six 75-millimetre artillery shells were found when the plot intended for construction of the new prison was surveyed in 2016, and in order to guard against potential risks of delays to the construction works, on 16 March 2021 SIA “Tiesu namu aģentūra” announced a procurement to survey the plot for the presence of explosive objects and unexploded ordnance, so that qualified specialists could professionally inspect the plot intended for construction of the prison.

·         During the preparation stage for construction of the new Liepāja Prison, before the construction works begin, the site is also planned to be cleared of trees through a public logging auction.

The Liepāja Prison is planned to accommodate 1,200 inmates. The entire complex will comprise eight different buildings. The total site area is 305 116  m², the total building footprint is 64 053.7 m², and the total floor area is 51 092 m². The complex will be located 5.6 km from the centre of Liepāja. The safety of both inmates and staff has been identified as one of the key factors in designing the prison. The new prison will provide opportunities for the social reintegration and employment of inmates, including a large employment centre with work opportunities for inmates, as well as facilities for inmate training.

The Ministry of Justice has delegated the implementation and supervision of the construction process to SIA “Tiesu namu aģentūra”, which ensures and organises the procurements. The technical requirements necessary for the construction of the prison, meanwhile, are formulated at working-group meetings attended by representatives of the Prison Administration, the Ministry of Justice and SIA “Tiesu namu aģentūra”. 

Prepared by:

Communications and Technical Support
Department of the Ministry of Justice

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