• security to be enforced

By Ariana Gordon

Following a meeting held with approximately 12 prisoners on Friday morning, Minister of State Joseph Harmon says he is confident that the incidents of Thursday and Friday will aid with security arrangements in the prison.

The prisoners have since promised Minister Harmon to remain calm and to let normalcy return to the penitentiary.

Harmon told reporters just outside the Camp Street Prison that government will do its best to ensure that “prisoners live and work in humane conditions that should make their lives a bit more comfortable.”

He said, “Prison is not a five star hotel but certainly as a government we need to ensure there are minimum standards. We will work to ensure this.”

The Minister of State described the meeting with the prisoners as an important step.

“We believe that it was very useful engagement. It will benefit the entire security sector not just the prisons,” the Minister stated.

The prisoners protested what has been described as inhumane conditions at the Camp Street penitentiary and opined that Thursday’s state of affairs is as a result of the actions of prison officers. As they exited the meeting with Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister Harmon, the prisoners committed to “holding the peace” so that government can act upon the issues raised.

“They said they will look into it and ensure who responsible pay,” one prisoner shouted as he was escorted back to his cell.

“We want justice… we can’t be satisfied until we see progress…dem got to keep dem word,” another prisoner shouted.

The prisoners have held strong that they are being ill-treated by prison officers and are held under inhumane conditions. According to the prisoners, there is some restriction placed when they request to call their relatives. They also said they receive poor quality food.

“Dem got to fix dem thing… dem thing aint right…dem don’t treat we right,” a prison said.

A three man board of inquiry is to be named sometime this afternoon to investigate Thursday’s riot which claimed the lives of 17 prisoners.