Prison gagging order

Friday, April 28, 2006

Dear Sir:

It is my belief that a gagging order has been put on the Prison Directors by the Office of the Chief Secretary based on the recent news reports in which the Chief Secretary is making all the comments, rather than the Prison Directors — also on what people are saying on the road.

The Chief Secretary was reported to have said the recruiting of a new position of Prison Commissioner is for, “someone who fully understands the dynamic environment that composes prison rehabilitation and can move ahead with doing the networking and other reform arrangements with half-way houses, other agencies, businesses, and other members of the community,” and “This goes beyond what can be expected of the Director and Deputy Director with their current duties. To load this on them would be driving them from efficiency to inefficiency.”

Does that mean they cannot do the job?

I am told by prison staff that a lot of good staff have been kicked out of the prison service, most being Caymanian who were good and experienced staff capable of being the prison commissioner or replacements for the present prison directors.

I am sure if anyone talks to past and present staff they will get the same message as I am from a number of sources and just as the recruitment of a new Police Commissioner took the people’s interest you can bet the new Prison Commissioner will also take the people’s interest.

Net News should make enquiries because the talk on the road is heating up on this subject but you may be faced with the impact of a gagging order.

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