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by pltm
(PLTM) - The twenty one (21) BVI prisoners being housed at the Bordelais Correctional Facility, in St. Lucia, have complained about the conditions at the penitentiary.
Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) at Balsam Ghut received extensive damage following the passage of hurricane Irma, after which the St. Lucia government offered to accommodate some of the prisoners. The BVI then transferred 21 high profile inmates to St. Lucia.
Speaking with BVI Platinum News, Hon. Myron Walwyn, Minister of Education and Culture, with responsibility for Prisons, disclosed that he visited the prison in St. Lucia last week to meet with prison officials and also to speak with some of the BVI inmates.
He said that some of the prisoners have expressed discomfort and want to return to the Balsam Ghut facility.
“(They were) asking me how soon we will have it (HMP) ready, so they could come back. They miss their family members and the usual visits they would normally get. There were some complaints with the facility not always having water available all times in their cells," Hon. Walwyn said in an interview today, Wednesday, November 1.
He said that there were some other concerns, including medical attention.
"They said they were having some medical issues, but I was assured by the authorities there that they are addressing those matters swiftly when they come up. I was able to see the medical facility on the prison."
He continued, "I am very impressed with what I saw there. I have been to a lot of prisons since I have been Minister for Prisons, and I have not seen a facility as organized externally like this one. The medical facilities are very good, persons who require more attention, they take them to the hospital."
Minister Walwyn said that based on his firsthand look at things, the prisoners’ human rights are not being violated, and that is paramount.
"Some of the concerns that were raised by some of the prisoners, and some of the discomfort issues that they raised, I am satisfied from what I have been able to see that their human rights have been respected and there have been no breaches," he related.
The Minister said he informed the St. Lucia authorities that the BVI takes human rights seriously.
"One of the things I did speak to the prison authorities about was the human rights aspect of our Constitution, that we hold very dear to us, and try to ensure there is strict adherence to it. Not because they might be in a foreign territory, they are still prisoners of HMP and so the rights that they have in the Human Rights Chapter have to be extended."
He said, "I was satisfied that their system complies with that because they do not have that kind of requirement in their Constitution. I was satisfied that they are fine at least in that respect."
Misbehaving
During his visit, Hon. Walwyn met with the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Security, Mr. Elda Michel and the Deputy Director of Prison, Mr. Leonard Terrance.
He said that there were complaints about the behaviour of some of the BVI inmates.
"They did tell me that some of our prisoners are having a difficult time settling down. I was able to verify that for myself as well," Hon. Walwyn said.
He added, "One or two of them have been a little out of line, but the majority of them, I don’t think it is that they are rude, but they are having difficulty adjusting…They are not causing disruptions because they are all in individual cells."
When asked how soon the prisoners will return home, Minister Walwyn said he could not give a firm timeline at this point.
"I wouldn’t want to give a specific timeline. I think what is important is that the things that we want to do at the facility here, we need to get on with them. Just before the hurricane we had signed some contracts to get the remaining parts of the roof fixed; we have reactivated those contracts and the works are expected to start this week," the Minister explained.
He said that once the roof is fixed and other security aspects of the prison are intact, they will return.
"But getting the prison fixed is a top priority of the government," Hon. Walwyn stated.
Governor Gus Jaspert had predicted that the prisoners will return by June of next year.
The prisoners being accommodated in St. Lucia are Aaron George; Kareem Durante; Orlando Bonnick; Yan Edwards; Andrew 'Ratty' Milton; Omarie Winter; Kenyatta Boynes ; Alcedo Tyson ; Devin Maduro; Deshawn Stoutt; Matthew Daniel Hazel; Jessroy McKelly; Jevone Demming; Sherman-Abdul Williams; Jerry Martin; Samuel Harris; Alberto Rosa De La Rosa; Lorne Parson; Dennis Dwayne Campbell; Allen Baptiste; and Shakoy Lavacia.
