Prisoners upset over officer's murder

Despite the temporary cancellation of visiting rights at prisons yesterday, acting Commissioner of Prisons William Alexander said operations ran smoothly with no reports of unrest or tension among inmates.

When Newsday spoke to Alexander yesterday, he said, contrary to earlier reports of industrial action, the decision to cancel visiting rights was taken to facilitate officers attending the funeral of prison officer Glenford Gardner. While visits to inmates by members of the public were cancelled, relatives wishing to bring food were allowed to buy items at prison canteens and have the guards deliver them.

“Everything ran smoothly. We are not in the business of creating any unnecessary hardship for the inmates,” Alexander said. “In fact we do a lot of work to try and help these persons as best as we can.”

Alexander said inmates at the Carrera island prison expressed their concern over Gardener’s murder last week, as he was well-liked and respected there.

He said prisoners had expressed fears that more deaths among prison officers could result in an increase in restrictive security measures that could hamper prisoners’ privileges.