Prison service updates insignia, uniform in rebranding exercise

Prison authorities on Wednesday unveiled a new public image that blends old and new in a bid to reflect Barbados’ transition to a republic.

Acting Superintendent of the Barbados Prison Service DeCarlo Payne showed off the rebranding to reporters with a video highlighting new uniforms which officers started wearing on Tuesday.

“The rebranding of the Barbados Prison Service is part of a culmination of an extensive process of planning and organising, spanning over a period of about two years,” he said.

“Our rebranding exercise … involved reviewing of all of our systems, including protocols, procedures and policies, regulations as well, to coincide with government’s initiative of transforming the constitution basically to a republican status constitution.”

The penal institution, known as Her Majesty’s Prisons during Barbados’ status as a colony and later as a Commonwealth realm, had to make several adjustments to its symbols which originally reflected the crown. The insignia was historically the British Colonial Prisons badge of a laurel wreath surrounding two crossed keys and topped by Queen Elizabeth’s crown. This has now been replaced by the Barbados Coat of Arms and the Broken Trident.

The new uniform retains a khaki shirt, olive green pants and a green hat as work dress, according to the acting superintendent. Security officers will wear black while those who work in the support services and the instructors will wear a grey uniform to reflect the service’s rehabilitative aspect, he added.

“We would have had many discussions surrounding the whole issue of the changes, and as I speak, the changes are still ongoing,” the prison head explained.

The prison chief, who has been acting in the role since long-time superintendent Lt Col John Nurse retired last June, said the colours of the work dress, particularly the olive-green trousers were based on the existing cap which was worn for many years.

“We wanted a green that was not depictive of any other organisations as arms of government as well, because we didn’t want the colours to be clashing with other organisations as they change and redesign their uniforms as well,” Payne maintained.

“The green,” he continued, ”really sits snugly and matches the shirt that we had existing, as well as the shoes, as well as the accessories in terms of the hat and badges of ranks and the patches that we are going to be wearing in this new era.”

Payne noted that the rebranding exercise fits “snugly” into the five main operating objectives at Dodds Prison.

“Those five objectives are to maintain core prison operations, to improve the management of our human resources capital, to increase the successful re-entry of inmates into the community, to improve the business practices and performance, inclusive of our philosophy and community engaging, and finally, to contribute towards public safety,” he said.