Honduras launches pre-qualification for offshore prison complex

The Honduran government started a process to award the contract to build an offshore, maximum-security prison on the Cisne Islands archipelago, some 200km off the country's Caribbean coast. 

The national penitentiary institute published an announcement in print media on Monday, inviting national and international companies to participate in the pre-qualification process.

Interested parties are required to send an email to proyectoic@inp.gob.hn between July 3 and 5 or request the documentation in person at the institute's facilities in Comayagüela. 

The announcement was signed by the administrative manager of the institute, Colonel Miguel Antonio Castejón Fajardo.

The bidding process to build the prison has been delayed multiple times due to the slow advance of pre-feasibility studies and the procedure to obtain the environmental license. 

President Xiomara Castro issued an executive order to build the new prison after clashes between gangs in a female penitentiary close to capital Tegucigalpa in June last year resulted in the deaths of 46 inmates.

Environmentalists claimed the complex will damage the ecosystem of the islands, which are part of a natural reserve. Moreover, experts previously told BNamericas that construction could cost around US$800mn due to complicated logistics. The area is currently home to a small military base.