Yesterday marked two months since the Port-of-Spain jailbreak and the investigations have seemed to go silent.
Body scanners, jammers and surveillance cameras are also still outstanding to be installed throughout the nation’s prisons, as promised by the then minister of National Security Carl Alfonso and current Commissioner of Prisons Sterling Stewart.
In an interview general secretary of the Prisons Officers Association (POA) Gerald Gordon said since the suspension of three prison officers the association had not heard anything on how far the investigations have reached and whether or not any more officers would face suspension.
These officers were identified during a fact-finding exercise headed by investigating officer deputy Commissioner of Police Glen Hackett.
“We are here just waiting in hope that it is not one of the things that has died a natural death. It is important for us, for officers, especially the citizens of T&T to understand exactly what happened on that day,” Gordon said.
“It is also important that when we know, we should be guided as to the necessary work that could be done now to ensure that something like this never happen again in T&T,” he added.
When asked when the body scanners are expected to be installed, Gordon said in about six weeks time.
He said the cellphone jammers had already been purchased but there was a slight delay in the installation given the fact that they were trying to work out how they are going to install it in conjunction with the inmate telephone system.
With respect to the surveillance camera system, Gordon said that he understood that the contract had already been awarded but the actual installation was yet to be finalised.
On July 24 at about 12.30 pm, Hassan Atwell, Christopher “Monster” and Allan “Scanny” Martin escaped from the Port-of-Spain State Prison.
PC Sherman Maynard was shot and killed. Martin was shot dead by police on the hospital’s compound.
Atwell and Selby escaped but Atwell was gunned down on Saturday night at East Dry River, Port-of-Spain. On Sunday, Selby surrendered at the Barataria Police Station.
Hackett, who was contacted on Tuesday, said he was in a meeting. He asked what the T&T Guardian wanted a comment on and when told “an update on the investigations into the prison break,” he said to call back.
He, however, did not answer calls from the T&T Guardian after.
Commissioner of Prisons Sterling Stewart was also contacted for comment on Tuesday and said he was unable to speak because he was in a meeting with his band.
Stewart also did not answer calls made to him after.