The Boroko holding cells have been cleared and are now being cleaned out and renovated.
The NCD Central police commander Sylvester Kalaut says that they anticipate at least a month before the cells can be prepared for the NCDC Health inspectors to carry out a site inspection to see if the cells can be used again.
The holding cells were condemned after initial health scares and deteriorating plumbing and drainage systems forced the NCD police command to carry out a unique media and health inspection of the facilities early last month.
NCD Metropolitan police commander Ben Turi has with the support of his Commander moved all the remands in the cells between the Badili and Waigani holding cells.
Previous jail conditions were terrible as five cells were not in use due to the water and waste that decayed the walls and caused unhygienic and unfit living conditions.
While the rest were just unbearably hot, humid and putrid with the smell of human waste that was over flowing from blocked up water and toilet pipes.
To date the cells have been stripped of and washed out while all pipes into the facility have been cleared out with painters and plumbers carrying out maintenance work on the facility.
Kalaut says that his command has taken this proactive approach to sort out what he says is a home grown issue that needs to be addressed so that remandees rights can be catered for while in holding.
