Prisoners say food prices hiked in fasting month

Dubai: Prisoners at Dubai Central Jail are complaining that food prices in their canteen have been increased for Ramadan.

A number of prisoners have said that the company which supplies food to the jail is charging prisoners exorbitant prices.

The prisoners told Gulf News that Abu Dhabi National Hotels, who supply food for the prison canteen and cafeteria, is charging prices that would be charged at a five-star hotel.

The prisoners said they have to pay Dh13.50 for a pack of dates, which if bought outside the jail would cost less than Dh6.

"Each month of Ramadan the catering company supplies food for the jail. The food menu in Ramadan includes a variety of food items. While during other months only sandwiches are sold," said a prisoner.

The prisoner said this month the menu was only snacks with no proper meals and the prices were very high. "We are prisoners not tourists," said another detainee.

The prisoner said that some food items are hiked by Dh9 which is unacceptable. "Most of the prisoners fast in Ramadan and the free food offered to us is not enough for us as the waiters who put the food on the plates give a small portion of food to each one which is not enough," said a prisoner.

The prisoners said the remainder of the food is thrown in the garbage and not given to the prisoners to eat. Another prisoner said that they have complained to the jail guards regarding the food which will be sold to prisoners in Ramadan.

"They should look in to the prices and the quality of food they are selling to us," said other inmates.

The inmates said that the food supply company sometimes buys food from Modern Bakery and then they sell it to them at very high prices.

Last Ramadan many prisoners said they got food poisoning due to the poor quality of food offered to them by Abu Dhabi National Hotels.

Gulf News contacted the prison food supply company, which supplies food for prisoners to most police stations and jails in the country.

Mohammad Al Shamsi from Abu Dhabi National Hotels told Gulf News that they have a contract with the police in different emirates to supply food for prisons.

Contract

"We have a contract with Dubai Police to supply food for their prisons and we have direct and indirect articles in that contract between us and them," he said.

He said if the prisoners had any issues they could contact the police directly.

"We have nothing to do with the issue as we show the prices to the police and they approve it. All this is done with Dubai Police approval," he said.

He said everything was done under police supervision. "All kind of food is decided by the police," he said.

Al Shamsi said that bringing in food from the Modern Bakery with higher prices could be done.

"If food is not available from us it can be brought from somewhere else," he said.

He said that last year food poisoning occurred among prisoners because the kitchen in the jail was not ready for use.

"The food used to be cooked in kitchens in Nad Al Sheba and then it went to the jail and was served to the prisoners. The food got spoiled on its way to the jail," he said.

He said that the company would look in the issue of food prices being hiked during Ramadan.

A police official at the central jail said that they have received prisoners complaints which are taken into consideration.

"We will add more food to their Ramadan menu, which will not be only snacks but proper food," said the official. He said prices will be also reduced by 50 fils.

"The inmate will submit their order for the full month. They pay for it in advance and the food supply company will bring the food. The matter will be sorted out with the food supply company," he said.

Then and now: Steep increases

- Date packs and fig packs which outside the jail are priced less than Dh6 are being sold to prisoners during Ramadan at Dh13.50.

- Cake which was sold last year at Dh20 will now be sold at Dh27.

- Indian sweets were Dh7 now they are Dh9.

- Zalabia (a kind of sweet) was Dh6 now it is Dh8.

- Mixed nuts last year were 50 fils and now they are Dh2.