Workmen have begun to install security cameras and other equipment at the nation’s prisons in an attempt to monitor illicit activities and claims of prisoner abuse.
The move comes on the heels of an impending lawsuit filed by the Prison Officers Association (POA) seeking to shut down the remand facilities on the basis of various infractions of health and safety provisions.
Yesterday, officers said the “jail was nice now” after some of the camera equipment was installed at the prisons in Arouca.
Officers said the jammers, to block unauthorised cellphone use by prisoners, had also arrived and should be installed at a later date by a contractor.
In an interview yesterday, president of the POA Ceron Richards said, “We welcome any initiative and it (security equipment) was promised since late 2013 and we are serious about the Osha issue.”
Richards said they had made many complaints to the Osha board seeking an inspection of the prisons, but without a response.
“This is outstanding. We have written for them to inspect the prisons and we have to look at taking legal action against the OSH board. We have written to them to visit and to date but no one has visited. The board has turned its back on the Prison Service,” he said.
Last week, Justice Minister Prakash Ramadhar announced that Government had authorised an additional $12 million “to ensure that we have video surveillance throughout almost every part of the prisons.”
On the issue of surveillance cameras, Ramadhar said then that the ministry had initially planned to implement the measure on a smaller scale but had to adjust this. He said it had brought in the National Operations Centre (NOC) to play a key role, as well, in the light of recent issues at the nation’s prisons.
Ramadhar’s statement came a day after prisons officer Kerwyn Boswell was shot outside his San Fernando home, an incident which once again prompted the POA to raise its voice over government’s tardiness in implementing long-promised extra security measures for prisons officers and the prison system. Richards said yesterday that Boswell was “okay and comfortable.”