TB patients threaten lawsuit

THREE ex-patients of the Caura Chest Hospital have filed pre-action protocol letters against the State alleging false imprisonment after they were picked up from the hospital and taken to prison.

The men, Patrick Charles, Ian Barrow and Wade Chanka were all taken from that hospital on June 8 and sent to the Maximum Security Prison (MSP) in Golden Grove Prison, Arouca. They were they were released by June 28.

The three were supposed to have gone to court on June 8, after receiving a summons five days prior. The men hope to be compensated for their days imprisoned.

Speaking with Sunday Newsday, one of the men said they could not have left the compound without authorisation because they are all tuberculosis patients and on the day in question, they were supposed to have been taken to court by staff at the hospital.

It was alleged that they were refusing to take their medication and were being taken to court for that. According to the Tuberculosis Control Act, the men can't leave the hospital unless authorised to do so.

At 4 pm on June 8, police officers came and arrested the three men for failing to show up in court. The three were sent to prison without being taken before a magistrate. During their time in custody and since they were released, they were not taken before the courts.

The trio were only released after their attorneys Brent Winter and Tanya Lowe filed a writ of habeas corpus.

According to one of the men, during their time in prison they were never given their medication. Requests for the hospital to send medicine to the prison so they could take it, were unsuccessful.

The three were kept in the infirmary where there were other inmates. The trio, a source said, were told by prison authorities that their imprisonment was peculiar given that TB inmates are usually sent to Caura Hospital.