Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs Adriel Brathwaite has strongly dismissed reports that officers of Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Dodds are being victimized by superiors, leading to heightened tensions at the St Philip penal facility.
As matter of fact, the minister who has responsibility for the island’s major correctional facility, asserted that officers were overreacting and had failed to give Government enough time to adequately address their concerns.
The Barbados Prison Officers’ Association (BPOA) through their attorney-at-law Gregory Nicholls, filed a constitutional motion in the High Court back in March, challenging the constitutionality of amendments to the 1982 prison law, which the officers say explicitly prevent them from having formal representation by a trade union or other lobbying agency.
In a press briefing last Thursday, Nicholls charged that immediately after the action was filed, a process was started that resulted in eviction of the BPOA from its office at the St Philip jail.
He also asserted that pressure on officers had also intensified following last November’s BPOA annual general meeting at which president Trevor Browne delivered a scathing attack on Government and the prison administration over their treatment of officers.
However, speaking with the media following today’s UNICEF certificate ceremony at United Nations House in Hastings, Christ Church, Brathwaite said by taking their matter to court, the officers essentially removed the longstanding issues of appointments and non-payment to temporary staff from his ministry’s domain.
“I sat with the prison officers and I said to them, ‘please send me a complete list of your concerns’ and they sent me a list of their concerns one day with a writ the following day. So I said, ‘now what foolishness is this? You don’t give us a chance to actually try to address your issues’. So I have taken the position that this is what the court is there for, if they want to take us to court then they are free to take us to court; that is their right. I don’t have a problem with it one way or the other,” Brathwaite said.
He further explained that he had been given assurances by prison administrators that neither the officer nor the association has been victimized as a result of their stance.
He added however, that while the officers “had rights, they did not have the right to disobey management of the institution”, noting that there had been challenges in this area, which had inevitably led to a firmer hand by those in charge.
“We cannot go back to the dark days of Glendairy and I will do all within my power as minister to ensure that does not happen. It has to be a two-way street with respect from both sides. I have said to the Superintendent [of Prisons John Nurse] to ensure that when I go out to bat for you that I am on good ground. Ensure that if there is a cry of victimization that it is untrue; ensure that you dot your I’s and cross your T’s. I am not aware of any victimization at the prison,” he said.
Acknowledging that he was aware of the officers’ concerns, which included non-payment of salaries to temporary staff and appointments, Government’s top legal advisor stressed that his ministry has endeavoured to ensure that officers were not unduly disadvantaged as a result.
This was a stark contrast to the grim picture painted by Nicholls, who warned that protests may be imminent even though prison officers are prohibited by law from taking industrial action.
“My clients have reached boiling point. They have had enough. They are at the doctor’s clinics today getting sick leave because they cannot emotionally deal with having to go work in a system where the Superintendent [of Prisons] is looming large around the prison,” Nicholls said, adding that “this [sick leave] is what they have had to do to get some relief from the pressure”.
colvillemounsey@barbadostoday.bb
It’s a good thing no one will have to deal with you and your kind for too much longer.
for realllll
It’s a good thing no one will have to deal with you and your kind for too much longer.
for realllll
This is the guy who doesn’t even know his job description, he is what the barbados government is all about ( nothing )……..
This is the guy who doesn’t even know his job description, he is what the barbados government is all about ( nothing )……..
Not on your watch is right cause I feel you mean your wrist watch
You are clueless to what goes on in this country
you have that right
Not on your watch is right cause I feel you mean your wrist watch
You are clueless to what goes on in this country
you have that right
Your comments just made the officers Case.
Your comments just made the officers Case.
EVERYTHING WANNA DISMISSES, OR NOT AWARE ON AN ISLAND THAT IS ONLY 166 SQ MILES….WELL WE ARE WATCHING AND PRAYING THE TIME WILL SOON BE HERE, TO EVICT ALL AH DEM ONCE & FOR ALL.
EVERYTHING WANNA DISMISSES, OR NOT AWARE ON AN ISLAND THAT IS ONLY 166 SQ MILES….WELL WE ARE WATCHING AND PRAYING THE TIME WILL SOON BE HERE, TO EVICT ALL AH DEM ONCE & FOR ALL.
How can you say that you are withholding appointments due to a court case. Which was brought on about constitutional Motion (right of presentation).
How can you say that you are withholding appointments due to a court case. Which was brought on about constitutional Motion (right of presentation).
I wonder why you feel this way and what can be cause of so many young men committing crime today? Could this be the cause of what you now think is problem? Well route out the problem of crime in Barbados and stop creating more problems for public services to deal with.
I wonder why you feel this way and what can be cause of so many young men committing crime today? Could this be the cause of what you now think is problem? Well route out the problem of crime in Barbados and stop creating more problems for public services to deal with.
Another shot of rum talk
Another shot of rum talk
Seriously do we expect this joker of an AG to admit anything is wrong,just deny stonewall and maybe it will go away.
Seriously do we expect this joker of an AG to admit anything is wrong,just deny stonewall and maybe it will go away.
The most Clueless Attorney General there ever had in the whole West Indies
The most Clueless Attorney General there ever had in the whole West Indies
This is the same exact words Chris use when Mckenny said we will march.this pic is an appropriate pic ,we need leaders that are well rounded,These prison officers was crying out for a long time.prison officials have to be working under severe stress,these officers have the island security in hands and they needs should be address promptly.look we got some real ignorant people running this island ya .
This is the same exact words Chris use when Mckenny said we will march.this pic is an appropriate pic ,we need leaders that are well rounded,These prison officers was crying out for a long time.prison officials have to be working under severe stress,these officers have the island security in hands and they needs should be address promptly.look we got some real ignorant people running this island ya .
I was at a party one time when I realized I lost my watch.. after about an hour of searching I saw some guy standing on it on the other side of the room. He was harassing some girl so i walked straight up to him and punched him in the nose.
Couldn’t let him get away with it. Not on my watch.
HAHAHAHA AH GOOD ONE
hahahahahaahahha…nailllllllllllllllllledddddddddddd itttttttttttt
I was at a party one time when I realized I lost my watch.. after about an hour of searching I saw some guy standing on it on the other side of the room. He was harassing some girl so i walked straight up to him and punched him in the nose.
Couldn’t let him get away with it. Not on my watch.
HAHAHAHA AH GOOD ONE
hahahahahaahahha…nailllllllllllllllllledddddddddddd itttttttttttt
ACTORS
ACTORS
This guy is such an embarresment to Barbados that to to even see him in the paper makes you want to puke. I just pray that the people of St. Philip south treat him the same way they treated Freundel Stuart in 1999.
This guy is such an embarresment to Barbados that to to even see him in the paper makes you want to puke. I just pray that the people of St. Philip south treat him the same way they treated Freundel Stuart in 1999.
This Attorney General has no ability to do nothing, every problem his response is that he is looking at it. He is a NATO man. NO ACTION TALK ONLY. I don’t think he understand the importance of the job he was given.
This Attorney General has no ability to do nothing, every problem his response is that he is looking at it. He is a NATO man. NO ACTION TALK ONLY. I don’t think he understand the importance of the job he was given.
Every time the PM/citizens hear this AG open his mouth he do remind us of a proper-pork commercial, “WE KNOW OUR CLOWNS PERSONALLY”.
Every time the PM/citizens hear this AG open his mouth he do remind us of a proper-pork commercial, “WE KNOW OUR CLOWNS PERSONALLY”.
Not on your watch but on mine. I’m counting down the months, the weeks, the days, the hours,, the minutes, the seconds till elections.
Hmmm boy some stupid foolish ppl might vote them back in. Don’t call government until last vote count.
Joy Waldron, there will always be the foolish among us. Some of the foolish in 2013 have suddenly became wise. While not counting chickens, there’s a certain knowledge in Barbados when govts are about to be changed. In the 1976, 1986, 1994, and 2008 elections, all the signs were there that the ruling party will lose, not that the opposition will win. 2018 is yet another of those years.
We will see. Nobody going go down easy even tho some need go money sweet draw backs sweeter.
Let’s hope gifts don’t cause the wise ppl to forget.
Not on your watch but on mine. I’m counting down the months, the weeks, the days, the hours,, the minutes, the seconds till elections.
Hmmm boy some stupid foolish ppl might vote them back in. Don’t call government until last vote count.
Joy Waldron, there will always be the foolish among us. Some of the foolish in 2013 have suddenly became wise. While not counting chickens, there’s a certain knowledge in Barbados when govts are about to be changed. In the 1976, 1986, 1994, and 2008 elections, all the signs were there that the ruling party will lose, not that the opposition will win. 2018 is yet another of those years.
We will see. Nobody going go down easy even tho some need go money sweet draw backs sweeter.
Let’s hope gifts don’t cause the wise ppl to forget.
So problems been brewing in the prison for such a long time to the point where the BPOA sent a list immediately followed by a demand, sir your response should not be to take me to court.
So problems been brewing in the prison for such a long time to the point where the BPOA sent a list immediately followed by a demand, sir your response should not be to take me to court.
absolutely shameful………all of your type sat in the house under the last administration and passed that legislation knowing it to be discriminatory unconstitutional and wrong. getting rid of the likes a you will not solve this problem just won’t
absolutely shameful………all of your type sat in the house under the last administration and passed that legislation knowing it to be discriminatory unconstitutional and wrong. getting rid of the likes a you will not solve this problem just won’t
The accompanying photo though…
The accompanying photo though…