Prison boss on leave?

Superintendent of Prisons Lieutenant Colonel John Nurse has reportedly been sent on leave from the penal institution over which he had been in charge for the past two decades.

Barbados TODAY has been reliably informed that second in command DeCarlo Payne is now Acting Superintendent of Prisons.

Neither Nurse, who was seconded from the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) in October 2001 to oversee the transition of change within the prison service, nor Payne was available for comment.

When contacted, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams declined to either confirm or deny the development which comes amid a departmental investigation into the operations of the prison as well as the Government Industrial Schools at Barrows, St Lucy, and Dodds, St Philip.

“I will make a statement on any circumstances surrounding the Government Industrial School and the prisons, consequent upon departmental enquiries. I will make a statement on any change of circumstances surrounding the Government Industrial Schools and the prisons, consequent on the enquiries,” was all Minister Abrahams would tell Barbados TODAY.    

Just over a week ago, he announced that an inquiry would be undertaken at Dodds Prison, under the chairmanship of attorney-at-law, Philip Pilgrim, Q.C.

The inquiry, which is expected to span a three-month period, will investigate concerns raised about the recruitment and promotion process of staff, treatment of staff, staff accommodation, medical care of inmates, and the protection of inmates while in transit to court or clinics, and protection of inmates.

Minister Abrahams had outlined that among measures the Government would be taking going forward regarding the management of the island’s juvenile and adult penal institutions.

During the GIS investigation, former wards and former staff will have an opportunity to lay complaints and highlight concerns that they may have with the institution, against the background of claims of abuse at the juvenile correctional facility. emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb