Prisons Association alarmed

A one-year delay by government to replace a non-functioning alarm system at the Maximum Security Prison in Golden Grove at a cost of $4.5 million was yesterday severely criticised by Prisons Association President Ceron Richards.

More than one year ago Richards as well as the prisons executive met with then Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon informing him of the non-functional 15-year-old alarm system.

Dillon prepared a cabinet note for the purchase of a new system but up until Monday when he departed that ministry no decision was made on the replacement of the alarm system.

Sources revealed that due to financial constraints the purchase of the new equipment was placed on the back burner.

Yesterday Richards told Newsday “If it is funds that is causing that keep back then it is an example of poor prioritisation because we are still paying a security company $8 million a month to transport prisoners that haves no real value, but to implement an alarm system for a one time payment we cannot afford $4.5 million out of an overall national security budget of $6 billion annually”.

He reiterated “We view this as a lack of prioritising security issues in light of the fact that something very serious can happen at MSP owing to the lack of that basic yet crictical security implementation. We are urging cabinet to make a decision with that forthwith and not wait for a disaster to happen in prison where possible lives can be lost. Prison officers are very fed up because they feel that nothing is happening and their lives are being constantly placed at risk, owing to government’s indecision on a very critical matter”.

Richards said he will be writing new national security Minister Stuart Young to address the many concerns of the association.

Yesterday Acting Prisons Commissioner Dane Clarke confirmed the alarm system at MSP is in dire need of being replaced. He said “The alarm system at MSP needs to be replaced, a cabinet note has already been submitted in order for the process to take place the new minister is aware of the request, but based on current financial situation that is how the alarm system will be replaced”.

He underscored the importance of replacing the old system because he believes that it is really is a threat to lives of prison officers if there is a problem. The officer could trigger the alarm and assistance could come from internal areas.