Honduras still locked in on offshore prison plan despite media claims

The Honduran government's plan to build a prison complex for dangerous inmates is still progressing, according to the chief of the military police, Ramiro Muñoz, despite media reports suggesting that authorities were considering canceling the initiative 

The alternatives to constructing the prison on the Cisne Islands, located approximately 200km off Honduras' northern coast in the Caribbean Sea, reportedly being considered by the government include building two prisons in the Olancho and Gracias a Dios departments.

However, Muñoz stated that the bidding process for the Cisne Islands prison is still ongoing.  

“We received authorization for the construction and do not have a counterorder. As long as there is no counterorder, we will continue to explore how to proceed legally,” he was quoted as saying by daily El Heraldo. 

The first two tenders to build the complex failed because the interested companies did not present bank guarantees from a local institution, as required by law. 

During the first tender, Muñoz explained, one company presented an international bank guarantee, but the bid was disqualified as it was not issued by a local bank. Three companies participated in the second bidding process but did not submit any bank guarantees.

The companies "do have the capacity [to carry out the project], the fact is that the procurement law requires bank guarantees in case the project fails. They have international bank guarantees, but the order is to obey the procurement law,” he said, reiterating that the project has not been cancelled as local media have claimed. 

“Until I'm informed that [the project] has been canceled, it will continue,” he asserted.

Up to this point, no local bank has agreed to back the project.

According to construction experts, the project could harm the Cisne Islands’ ecosystems and may exceed US$800mn in costs. However, the government has allocated no more than US$100mn for its construction.