Task Force formed in wake of prison officer's murder

AN inter-agency task force comprising members of the police service, prisons and the Defence Force has been established to specifically tackle and treat with all threats made against prison officers.

This was announced earlier today by National Security Minister Stuart Young who held a press conference at his ministry’s Port of Spain head office in the wake of the murder on Tuesday evening of Prisons Superintendent Wayne Jackson.

In addition to this task force, Minister Young also announced that new legislation will be taken to Parliament by January to stiffen the punishment including fines and jail terms for those convicted of any attack on a prison officer.

Supt Jackson was gunned down on Tuesday at 7 pm outside his home. He was head of the Maximum Security section of the Golden Grove Prisons in Arouca.

Prisons Officers Association president Ceron Richards, who was also at the press conference, said morale among prison officers is very low in the wake of Jackson’s murder but he is heartened by the government’s response in dealing with it and other security issues.

Young said Government intends to utilize as much technology as it can afford to purchase in the fight against crime and lawlessness. He said while thousands of cellphone calls have been intercepted by the prison service’s grabbers and jammers technology, the reality is, some calls have gotten through.

Young also said the public clamour for guns for all off-duty members of national security is not a one-shot cure-all for attacks against national security agents, since Supt Jackson was issued with a personal firearm yet was still gunned down.

He said all arms of National Security are working as a cohesive unit in the fight against crime.