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HM prisoners reportedly being tased in face & head
Hon Turnbull made the revelation at the December 13, 2019, budget debates during the continuation of the Second Sitting of the Second Session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA).
"Listening to the concerns of the prisoners and Hon Smith [Neville A. Smith (AL)] and Hon Penn [Marlon A. Penn (R8)] were there as well... we need to ensure, Mr Speaker, that yes they are incarcerated but we need to ensure that there is some guard watching the guard," Hon Turnbull told the House.
Hon Turnbull continued, "because the reports that I was made aware of, and we might have our own opinions... what we think about them or the crime that they may be incarcerated or even on remand for, but some of the instances that I was made aware of Mr Speaker it just can't be right that persons are being treated like that," he said.
HM Prison under Fire
Currently, HMP is being run by Superintendent Verne A. G. Garde of St Lucia. Over the 2019 year, the institution has seen several reports of inhumane treatment by prisoners, poor food and a recent alleged October jailbreak which was neither denied nor confirmed by the Superintendent.
According to Hon Turnbull, "When you [are] going [to] hear reports from three or four different inmates about persons being tased in their face and in their head, something is wrong."
Calls to the mobile telephone of Superintendent Mr Garde by Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) to respond to the allegations went unanswered.
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30 Responses to “HM prisoners reportedly being tased in face & head”
It's easy to criticise when u r not on the battle field.
It's funny these politicians never come sit down with officers to talk but have conversations with a couple inmates who causing havoc in the institution and go to parliament to talk crap. Does inmates has more rights than officers? How much officers got assaulted over the years and nothing was done? Tase his a** yes so they will stop terrorizing officers and inmates. Talk to the officers sir before you go to parliament until then dont speak from a one sided story. Officers have rights too. When an inmate can tell an officer " if you lock me down i going call my representative and get out" then that shit happened what are officers to do? Officers are paid to keep inmates in custody and treat them humanely if the inmates dont comply officers have a right to use force as long as it's not more than necessary. Did the politician ask who the inmate was,if so he would realise what a nuisance he is in the prison. I'm not an officer but i have relatives as inmates and officers. It's time for prison officers be treated with respect and an important facet of national security.
What is your angle man? CAN YOU PROVE IT? What INHUMANE TREATMENT. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE INHUMANE TREATMENT THAT WAS INFLICTED ON THE VICTIMS BY THE SAME ANIMALS THAT YOU ARE DEFENDING? GO SET UP A ORGANIZATION FOR CRIME VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND SPEAK UP FOR THE VICTIMS. THE TASER NEED TO BE AIMED AT THEIR MOUNTAIN OYSTERS. ZAP, OUCH.
I am certain the Superintendent of Prison was not even contacted to admit or deny these claims. But from the very House of Assembly, the prison management would be placed in the firing line.
Whether from St. Lucia, Guatemala, Spain, Trinidad or Vietnam, if a Superintendent is chosen to run an institution, he or she should be judged based on their performance, not their place of origin. It is tragic that media continues to fan the flame of prejudice, widening the man-made rift between locals and expats, when the very Premier welcomed over one thousand with open arms in a gesture that spoke about opportunity and unity.
Regarding the current Superintendent of Prison and the allegations against his management, I have seen and can testify that Mr. Verne Garde has come to the territory with more experience, knowledge and know-how than any other leader at the institution and it shows in his policy writing, his planning and his execution of policies and procedures. More long-term inmates are benefiting under this Superintendent's management than have any other in the past. That is a fact. He has a no-nonsense approach to management and while fair, he is strict on following protocol. Before persons speak arbitrarily, they ought to get the facts, especially if speaking from places of authority.
Always bear in mind, there's two (2) sides to a story so they need to say what caused them to be tased. All they need to do is behave them damn selves.
if the S O P did what he says he would do the Government would not be expose to law suit, those taser should be last resort in the prison setting, and if a officer life is not a risk or there are no weapon involve those tasers should not be deployed, officer are train to negotiate and restrain,
to my point that head of prison feels he can turn water into wine by not training the staff and pushing them into decision making roles
he wants no one around him who dear challenge him.
you have to say yes to every thing he tell you to do or if not you dont have a future in the work place.
so every one who sits around him regardless to how unsafe the order is they have to say yes sir
Mitch keep digging you unto something.
if the officers were train by the police officer who does the training they would of being told not to shoot{ because face, head, chest and genitals are off limit.} #S O P IS A FAKE