Only 13 out of 72 staff are locals at Her Majesty’s Prison
In response to a question from the Third District Representative Julian Fraser RA, about the role of the United Kingdom appointed Governor and who had responsibility for the Prison, Superintendent Holder told the body that the prison falls under the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Governor deals with security and early release and matters that pertain to Prison Rules.
The Member for the Third District asked the Superintendent, if he reported to the Governor. The Superintendent replied “yes”. Mr. Holder told the SFC that he reports to “the Governor under Prison Rules 1999 and I also report to the Minister”. He said the rules deal with early release matters and sick persons.
Holder also explained that the Governor has the executive authority over the Prison and the responsibility for all matters in relation to security. The Minister has the administrative responsibility to ensure that the prison is provided with the necessary resources to be able to provide all services required to operate under national and international laws.
Hon. Fraser asked Mr. Holder, if he had any conflict in his mind as to who to report to. The Superintendent replied, “I report to both persons.” The Minister for Health and Social Development Ronnie W. Skelton asked, if there are more security issues than administrative issues. To this Mr. Holder replied that there are more security issues.
Only 13 out of 72 staff are BVIslanders, Holder blames it on low pay
Territorial At Large Member Archibald C. Christian asked how many of the staff at HM Prison are BVIslanders. The Superintendent replied 13 including cooks. The Member of the Eight District Marlon Penn, himself a fifth generation indigenous Virgin Islander, asked what the total staff is. To this the Superintendent replied 72.
Hon. Penn asked, if it is a matter that BVIslanders are not applying. To this Mr. Holder said that, “we must have an attractive salary, the salaries are way below and they are not attractive.” The Superintendent reiterated that low pay and conditions had kept BVIslanders away from working in the prison system in response to another question by Hon. Christian.
Research contradicts Holder’s reason for why BVIslanders are not working in Prison systemA Virgin Islands News Online source close to this matter told this news site that like the Police Force, locals are allegedly shut out from employment opportunities at Her Majesty’s Prison and it has nothing to do with pay, as it’s a government job.
He said currently, the prison officers working at HM Prison are mostly from Guyana, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, Jamaica and even Prison Officers from Trinidad and the likes.
A look at the 2012 Draft Budget shows that the pay for Prison Officers are comparable in some instances to the same as that of Police Officers, Fire and Rescue Officers, Engineers, Immigrations and Customs Officers, and Teachers, to name a few. Therefore, Mr. Holder’s assertion is questionable and could be misleading.
For example, a Prison Officer I is in grade 6 and makes a salary of $22,770-$36,184 per year. This is the same salary made by a Customs Officer II, Fire Officer, Constable of the Police Force, Immigration Officer II, Telephone Services Technician, Assistant GIS Information Officer, post all filled in the civil service by BVIslanders.
Another look at the facts shows that a Prison Officer II post is in grade 8 and earns a salary of $26,492-$42, 091 per year. This is the same salary that is earned by a Detective Constable at the Police Force, a Sub Officer of the Fire and Rescue Department, a Professional Cadet, someone who has returned from college with a four year college degree (Prison officers do not require a degree as neither the Superintendent nor many of his senior staff have four year degrees), a Teacher Grade II and Veterinary Assistant III - someone who is required extensive training in veterinary medicine.
Furthermore, a Principal Prison Officer and a Prison Rehabilitation Programme Coordinator, two posts within the Prison Service attracts a salary of $28,818 -$45,785 in grade 9. This is the same salary made in the civil service by an Administrative Officer, Civil Engineer I, a post that required a four to five year degree, Finance Cadet another four year degree post, sergeant of the RVIPF, and a Senior Accounts Officer to name a few.
Another look at the claim made by Mr. Holder that locals are not working at the Prison because of the low and unattractive salaries contradicts his assertion. Take for example a Prison Counsellor earns a salary of $34,634-$55,040 in grade 11. This is the same salary made by a Surveillance Immigration Officer, Marine Biologist, Teacher Grade IV, Budget Officer II, Engineer II, Education Officer I, and the Assistant Comptroller of Customs, for the most part posts that are filled by locals.
The training required to be a Prison Officer according to what Holder told the SFC, includes knowing English, trained in certain methods of control and restraint of prisoners, how to deal with matters, problem solving and creativity and how to negotiate.
A former local prison officer who wishes to remain anonymous and is a Virgin Islander told this news site that, “what Holder told the Politicians is nonsense, it’s a system to keep BVIslanders out and give their friends from the islands jobs….I am surprised the amount of Guyanese working there some of them only in the BVI for three to four years and working in the prison system, do you think this is right? The prison system is like the police force.”
“It’s a shame and I am disappointed that the Politicians ate up what Holder said without some research and challenging him. Indigenous Virgin Islanders are catching hell in the private sector and it seems like the same thing applies to the Public system.”
The same source said when you check the list of indigenous BVIslanders (persons born in the BVI and can trace their roots to three and four generations) the numbers for the Prison staff drops even more dramatically to less than 7 in the entire system. While the source said he agrees that the Police Force, for example, salaries are more attractive than the Prison with many benefits and allowances, “but how come it still does not have majority locals there?.....someone needs to look into the Prison hiring system as something is wrong.”
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