The lives of prisons officers are daily being “sacrificed” as those in authority have continuously ignored the pleas to improve the Prisons Service.
Prisons Commissioner, Sterling Stewart, in an interview with i95 yesterday joined the chorus of the organisation’s membership in urging Government and other stakeholders to deal with the matter which had been neglected for far too long.
“The supermen in our society, the cartoon characters need to stop the foolishness and know that people losing their lives. We believe at this stage that we are being set up because at this stage what can we do?” Stewart asked.
He added that over the past ten years some 17 prisons officers had been killed and all had been done with impunity.
“We have been talking the same talk over and over and it is like a recurring decimal. We are being attacked, we are being killed, we are being sacrificed.
“On top of the agenda is safety and security and I stay positive with the National Security Minister Edmund Dillon because I know he is a person of action and I respect his vision.
“But in going forward I need to know how can my officers be attacked from these blatant, disregard for human life... it cannot continue this way,” Stewart added.
He also said all right-thinking citizens needed to stand up against the darkness that was engulfing the country.
“Too many persons are not saying anything. The voiceless... is too much wickedness that is generated from the top to the bottom that is being condoned and facilitated. Unless persons change and we hold persons responsible then... what we asking?” Stewart asked.
Regarding Monday’s killings of prisons superintendent David Millette, Stewart confirmed a possible link between an attack on three prisons officers which occurred at the Maximum Security Prison on Sunday.
It is alleged that during a routine search an inmate refused to hand over a knife to a prisons officers following which the officer called for back-up.
Before the knife was seized, however, three officers had sustained injuries.
Stewart said after Millette’s murder the executive of the Prisons Service held an emergency meeting.
“A preliminary investigation reveal that it is highly probably it was called from behind the walls, specifically at Maximum Security Prison, arising out of an incident that took place on Sunday.
“All on board need to come together to treat with this problem because this is a wicked problem,” Stewart added.
Asked about stab and bullet proof vests to be issued to prisons officers, he said some, both “overt and covert,” were issued to prisons officers.
“We are now seeking to purchase stab-proof vests as necessary for the relevant officers but there are a number of officers who have already received these vests,” Stewart added.
Asked whether he believed the prisons executive is capable of stamping out contraband coming into the prisons, Stewart said any officer caught trafficking illegal items must be immediately dismissed.
“I want swift action. I want him dismissed immediately. Whenever it takes to put that in place that is one of the things I want to see happening.
“We want you dismissed from the service and we are seeking to get rid of them by all means necessary because it is causing an enormous threat to the lives of hardworking, committed men and woman of all ranks,” Stewart urged.
Describing prisons conditions as less that accommodating, Stewart, however, said efforts have been made and were being made to improve conditions, including plans to construct a new Remand Prison which has been on the drawing board.
“There are a lot of positive programmes being offered and we even have programmes geared now towards the Remand.
“Even my officers who they are seeking to hunt down and kill are teaching a number of these individuals in educational programmes. Those who we fail to educate we will continue to incarcerate,” Stewart added.