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Prisoners describe conditions in St Lucia as ‘barbaric’

-happy to be back home
They described the cells as small and the holding facility as ‘old’ and unfit for animals. Photo: Provided
Prisoners describes conditions in St. Lucia as ‘barbaric.’ Photo: Provided
Prisoners describes conditions in St. Lucia as ‘barbaric.’ Photo: Provided
Many prisoners who made contact, have said they are
Many prisoners who made contact, have said they are "happy" to be home and described the conditions at the Bordelais Correctional Facility in St Lucia as ‘poor, harsh and barbaric.’ Photo: Provided
BALSAM GHUT, Tortola, VI - Virgin Islands News Online, first and accurately reported that the remaining prisoners from Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) at Balsam Ghut, who were sent to St Lucia—following Hurricane Irma—had been returned to Tortola, on September 6, 2018.

Many prisoners who made contact, have said they are "happy" to be home and described the conditions at the Bordelais Correctional Facility in St Lucia as ‘poor, harsh and barbaric.’

Prisoners that spoke with this publication also related that on many occasions they were punished for refusing to eat some of the food being served and that very often they did not have clean drinking water or the water was off or brown in colour, leaving them to purchase drinking water.

We got recruitment 

They described the cells as small and the holding facility as, ‘old’ and 'unfit for animals.' 

Prisoners have since provided Virgin Islands News Online with photos of the conditions of the  Bordelais  Facility.

Former Head of the Bordelais Correctional Facility in St Lucia, Mr Verne Garde, was recently recruited to head HMP by Minister for Education and Culture and co Leader of Government Hon. Myron V. Walwyn (AL).

23 Responses to “Prisoners describe conditions in St Lucia as ‘barbaric’ ”

  • miss (10/09/2018, 15:21) Like (198) Dislike (3) Reply
    keep out of trouble and you won't have to worry about living in barbaric conditions.
  • Amazing (10/09/2018, 15:29) Like (141) Dislike (1) Reply
    These prisoners don't learn? How prisoners sending news oublication pictures? Y'all keep selling yourselves out. Smh
  • Hmmmmm (10/09/2018, 15:43) Like (149) Dislike (2) Reply
    Prison is prison, ain't a hotel. If u want proper facilities behave ayo self n stay out of prison.
  • ABC (10/09/2018, 15:53) Like (45) Dislike (11) Reply
    Hope some of them thieving politicians go st luncia
  • Well Sah (10/09/2018, 16:02) Like (129) Dislike (4) Reply
    prison should be a place to make u feel u don't want to go back, ayo too damn spoil up balsum ghut
  • Well (10/09/2018, 17:24) Like (60) Dislike (3) Reply
    Back to the Holiday Inn where they can run things, demand what they want to eat, have access to drugs, liquor you name it. They are playing the system.
  • trrefdrfds (10/09/2018, 20:32) Like (5) Dislike (43) Reply
    they are human not animals
    • Please don't (11/09/2018, 14:28) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
      @truth, please don't compare those inmates to animals. Animals donot commit vicious crimes against each other, rob, set up rape each other. The animal world is much more civil than the human world. I hope.the new prison chief put some law and order up on the hill. Tortola prison is the only prison in the Caribbean that the inmates live like they are in unlimited candy land. TV, Drugs, liquor, barging in the kitchen demanding what they want to eat.... Human Rights my A.
  • Myo (10/09/2018, 23:43) Like (3) Dislike (59) Reply
    Meen care what you all blog, the thousands of dollars we sent down there a month, they should be living like in a 5 star hotel. Best they had keep them here. They are prisoners but human also. Now they recrute one of those to run the prison here and want to run it like he run the one in St Lucia. I wonder when our government going to stop importing people to run our critical departments?
    • @Myo (11/09/2018, 07:13) Like (28) Dislike (8) Reply
      The proper way to say it is repeat after me, I don't care, not meen care. The Government will continue to import outsiders to run critical departments as long as you all continue to speak the way you do.
  • @hmmmm (11/09/2018, 01:42) Like (9) Dislike (40) Reply
    All of y’all posting sound like fools... prisoners are still human beings and they should be treated in a humane way even if they committed a crime... they should be still protected by the HIPPA law but because y’all live with shallow minds y’all will never open your mind to anything
  • Exactly (11/09/2018, 07:24) Like (18) Dislike (3) Reply
    Hmmmmm, I agree with you. Dont pay the dumb a** who said prisoners should be treated in a.humane way even though they commit a crime. I wonder if he/ she will say the same thing if his family was a crime victim. As far as I am concern, not one dime of the tax payers money should be spent on inmate care. I am quite sure there is enough roaches and mice running around the prison to feed them breakfast lunch and dinner. Also, flies if they want a snack.
  • Virgin Islander (11/09/2018, 09:15) Like (9) Dislike (3) Reply
    Unfortunately we live in a society where crimes are committed, very horrible crimes. However no matter the circumstances those criminals are still humans and have people who love and hate them. I for one am glad they experience what other criminals have to endure on a daily basis, reason being they can be appreciative of the conditions offered at the HMP. I am not saying this to encourage others to commit crimes, but it should give them the realization that in the VI criminals or not we have respect for basic human rights, even if they as criminals DON'T. I am one for harsh punishment for criminals but not to the point of having them being treated like animals, however we all have to realize they made the decision to commit a crime and should expect consequences for their actions and they are not always good. We all have our opinions whether good or bad and they should be respected.

  • YEAH MESHON (11/09/2018, 11:57) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    NOTHING WORST THAN LOSING HAVING DINNER MINTS ON YOUR PILLOW AND 4K TV TO WATCH. PROBLEM IS YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT BARBARIC AND NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE VICTIM THOUGHTS AS WELL. THINK ABOUT IT. BEHAVE OR YOU GO BACK.
    • Django (11/09/2018, 14:31) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
      I have been a victim of crime and one of the perps is in Balo. I still want him to be kept in humane conditions. His sentence was to be denied his liberty for a time, not his humanity.
      • Hmmmm (12/09/2018, 15:10) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
        Yeah Humanity, For you the Prisoner not your Victim right? Any word of Humanity for the Victim? Anything? Say it! Don't Do and Don't Want Do back to You.
  • Mark (11/09/2018, 12:01) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    These prisoner have no shame. That prison was to good for them. If it was up to me they would have no rights at all. None!
    • East alll the way (11/09/2018, 13:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      If they found out who you are wether from here opt not ,,,, please don’t get in and trouble, or they’ll go it just because you ran your mouth
  • against slavery (11/09/2018, 19:51) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    funny that 'right and wrong' are based on what laws a government sets up, rather than right or wrong. Because
    something is 'illegal' doesn't mean the law about it is right. Strange that people descended from slaves are so
    vindictive to say that if you are in trouble with a government, and therefore a criminal by those laws, you deserve
    what happens to you. Sounds like sadists. And yes people who do really bad things to other people need to pay for
    that. No question. What's not funny, still more extreme, is why right here if someone does something REALLY wrong
    and the cops are called - if they are locally placed and the victim is not, there will be no charges. Like trying to kill
    someone or set them up as a 'bad guy' and bring on by intent, a 'situation'. Do you folks ever --- grow up?
    Or do you want really want a 'spiritual accident' to happen here. Jeez!
  • guy hill (12/09/2018, 06:09) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Now is a time for all those inmates to look deep inside themselves and search for a new creation and beginning in their lives. Put God first in all things you do and say and you will never fail. Trust God Only.
  • Fatness (22/09/2018, 16:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Barbaric my foot it should have been worst than that. Want to do wrong and live like kings and queens in a palace. Home town to slack they need to make you all feel what's prison all about.


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