BRADES, (Montserrat) Oct.12, 2004 (GIU): Lieutenant Peter W.A. White, Montserrat's Prison Superintendent, is back home after a one week attachment at Grenada's main Richmond Hill Prison.
White served in an advisory capacity while in the Grenadian capital St. George's following major damage to the prison facility caused by hurricane Ivan on September 7.
His trip to the Spice Isle coincided with the visit to the island of the UK British Advisor for the Overseas Territories Nick Brooks.
They held a number of joint meetings with the Grenada Prison Commissioner and other senior members of the Richmond Hill prison staff.
White told the GIU that more than half of the inmates were accounted for after the prison roof was destroyed during the hurricane. He reported that up to last week Grenadian prison officials indicated that forty one (41) prisoners were still on the loose.
The local prison chief said that forty (40) prisoners were taken to St Lucia and that 182 were in custody. A large number of prisoners, he said, were given early release.
White said that he recommended a number of programmes that could be adopted to occupy the inmates at the Richmond Hill prison in Grenada at this time while work continues to repair and rebuild the correctional facility.
Meanwhile, the Prison Superintendent said that the next couple of weeks would be very hectic as Montserrat prepares to host the Caribbean Overseas Territories Heads of Prison Conference along with Jamaica.
The conference will be held at Brades from November 16-18. The regional meeting will also coincide with the opening and dedication of the new prison at Brades - next to the Police Headquarters.
White told the GIU that because of the hurricane damage in the Cayman Islands it is not clear if they will represented at the conference.
White said that before Montserrat operated a remand centre but that has now been upgraded to a full prison.
The local prison staff should be 28, but according to Supt. White three vacancies exist; with one officer on suspension.
He said that the Montserrat prison population is currently twenty one (21) including the recently returned inmates from the Turks and Caicos Islands and the British Virgin Islands (Tortola).
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