Tobago prison closed, Glen Road residents happy

COREY CONNELLY and KINNESHA GEORGE-HARRY

Glen Road residents are rejoicing after a decision was made on Thursday evening to close the Tobago Correctional Facility at Montessori Drive, Glen Road, Scarborough. The closure of the prison came six days after residents protested outside the prison last Friday. Residents complained they were not consulted prior to its opening and demanded it be removed.

On Friday, resident Mark Renwick said they are elated. He said their protest had nothing to do with the upcoming THA election.

He said: “The residents feel good about it because we only wanted one result. It was not about politics. We just wanted this thing to go. And we have gotten what we wanted.”

Renwick said over 60 residents logged into the virtual meeting on Zoom held by Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis on Thursday afternoon.

He said this shows what a united stand can achieve.

“Unity is strength. This is a perfect lesson to people, don’t stand still and say nothing.”

He said former Glen Road residents, currently living abroad, were also willing to support their cause. Residents had met attorneys Martin George and Janelle Ramsaroop to discuss their legal options.

In a press release on Thursday evening, Dennis said having met with the residents, he immediately spoke with Minister of National Security Stuart Young requesting that the facility, which he said was unoccupied, should be closed immediately.

According to the release: “Minister Young also agreed and subsequently acceded to the Chief Secretary’s request and the recommendation to make alternative arrangements.”

Earlier in the afternoon, the upset residents voiced their displeasure to Dennis about lack of representation and discussion prior to the decision to place the facility in their area. They had reiterated their demand that the facility be removed from their neighbourhood. Dennis had previously apologised to the residents over the lack of consultation, which they refused to accept.

Residents said the prison, which formerly housed the THA Department of Fisheries, created a security threat which left senior citizens in the area uneasy.

Residents were assured that only low-risk inmates would occupy the facility but they stood firm.

Dennis ended the meeting promising to have further discussions with Young.

He said, “Rest assured that I have listened to all your challenges and fears, and as Chief Secretary, I will take the necessary and appropriate actions.”

Prisons Officers Association president Ceron Richards on Friday said the association supports the decision to shut down the facility.

“I cannot say that we are vexed for that or not in support of that. I know the residents are a key part of the make-up of Tobago and if that is what the Chief Secretary and the residents arrive at in terms of that particular location, who are we to say anything different?” he said.

Richards called on the Prime Minister to say when a new prison will be built in Tobago. He recalled lands were earmarked for the construction of a new prison in Bacolet.

“We want to hear from the prime minister what happened to the land at Bacolet earmarked for the construction of a prison. We don’t know what is going on with that because we are not hearing from the Government. We don’t know if that is going to continue.”