Prisons Commissioner: No info on alleged plans to privatise prison service

Acting Commissioner of Prisons Dennis Pulchan said while he did not have any information on a plot to privatise the prison service, he admitted the vehicles used by the prisons may be the oldest out of all the arms of national security.

Pulchan was speaking with Newsday on Tuesday in response to concerns raised by head of the Prison Officers Association Ceron Richards over the state of the prison service's vehicles.

Richards accused the government of neglecting to maintain the vehicles as part of a plot to privatise the prison service.

Pulchan said while he was confident the government was doing all it could to support the prison service financially, there was need to upgrade its fleet of vehicles.

"Yes, I would like to see our fleet increase a bit. I think the prison service has the oldest vehicles among the national security (arms), but I have written requesting the purchase of new vehicles. I'm awaiting a response on that."

On Tuesday, Richards insisted there was a plot to privatise the prisons and warned the government that the association was paying close attention to all developments.

"We (prison officers) are hurting operationally because for over a ten-year period the government hasn't bought any vehicles for us. But do you know, in the same breath, the government took millions of taxpayers’ money to buy vehicles for private companies that do services through contracts?

"We believe they are undermining the operations of the prison so they can bring in a contractor. It's all about their campaign financiers being repaid."

Richards made similar accusations last November but they were denied by National Security Minister Stuart Young who described the comments as "counterproductive."

Newsday sent messages to Young for comment on Richards' latest remarks but did not receive any replies up to press time.