Acting head of the Barbados Prison Service (BPS) Superintendent DeCarlo Payne is urging Barbadians to give correctional officers their long-overdue respect.
Payne lamented that for far too long their service, which is critically important to the Barbadian landscape, has gone unnoticed and unappreciated.
Payne, who delivered the featured address at the anniversary and staff appreciation church service at Breath of Life Seventh Day Adventist Church in St Michael this morning, had high praise for the men and women in the service. He maintained that they give yeomen service but, in many instances, this service remains in obscurity.
“Prison staff spend an inordinate amount of time treating the needs of offenders, their families and supporting mechanisms. Thus, they are exposed to many risks both internally and externally. But in the face of these risks, these men and women continue to function professionally and systematically. By and large, officers function out of sight of the Barbadian society and little or nothing is ever mentioned of the sterling work of staff provided to the public, except for when you see something in the papers which is in a negative context,” he said.
Defending correctional officers, Payne also applauded their unwavering commitment. A commitment he emphasized goes beyond the proverbial guarding of inmates, but also officers who as well serve in the role of mentor, teacher, and role model. Yet, he charged that in most cases these officers are sometimes not recognised.
Speaking to this year’s theme: ‘Celebrating Resilience Through Commitment’, Payne said the prison officers’ job is very demanding and requires resilience when confronting difficult situations.
Payne vowed that officers will not rest on their laurels and instead will continue to strive for excellence and be the best that they can be.
Payne said at the forefront of their efforts must always be the care and rehabilitation of inmates, the commitment to their charges as well as professional development of all members of staff. (KC)
