By Val Matthias. Updated 8:56 a.m., Tuesday, February 10, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday has announced that His Majesty’s Prison in Kingstown will be closed, with all correctional operations consolidated at Belle Isle Correctional Facility by the middle of 2026.
Delivering the 2026 Budget Address, Dr. Friday said the move was necessary to modernise the correctional system and address long‑standing issues of overcrowding and deteriorating infrastructure.
“We cannot continue to house inmates in facilities that are outdated and inadequate. The Kingstown Prison has long outlived its purpose. By consolidating at Belle Isle, we will ensure safer, more humane, and more efficient operations,” he told Parliament.
The closure will affect inmates currently housed at Kingstown Prison, correctional officers, and the Ministry of National Security, which oversees prison operations. All staff and inmates will be transferred to Belle Isle, which will serve as the country’s central correctional institution.
The consolidation is scheduled for completion by mid‑2026. According to the Prime Minister, the transition will be managed through a reallocation of resources within the justice sector to ensure a smooth transfer of operations.
Located on White Chapel Road in the capital, His Majesty’sPrison is one of the oldest correctional facilities in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. For decades, it has been said to be plagued by overcrowding and poor conditions. By 2012, the prison was housing 146 prisoners, including 140 on remand and 20 in maximum security, far beyond its intended capacity. Successive governments faced criticism for failing to modernise the facility, which has long been considered inadequate for current correctional needs.
Belle Isle was constructed to relieve overcrowding at Kingstown and became operational in April 2012, when 226 prisoners were transferred there. Designed to accommodate several hundred inmates, Belle Isle was envisioned as the country’s main correctional institution. Additional phases were planned to include facilities for female prisoners at a cost of EC$2.7 million. Compared to Kingstown, Belle Isle offers more secure infrastructure and modern facilities, aligning with international standards for correctional management.
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