BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FOLLOWING the unexplained announcement of the 21-day closure of Her Majesty’s Prison to the public, a reason for this action was provided yesterday (Feb. 3) by Stafford Liburd, Acting Commissioner of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF).
A press release issued by SKNIS on Tuesday (Feb. 2) read: “The Superintendent of Prisons, Mr. Junie Hodge, wishes to inform that Her Majesty’s Prison will be closed to the General Public for twenty one (21) days commencing the 2nd February, 2016 until the 22nd February, 2016.”
It further stated that the Superintendent and staff of the prison apologise for any inconvenience caused.
There was however no explanation given for this closure at the time the press release was issued, but Liburd, while as a guest along with other members of the Police High Command at the Government’s radio programme ‘Working for You’, had provided a reason.
He told listeners to the programme that the Police Force fully supports the decision taken.
“An operation in the prison has discovered cell phones and other contraband. An investigation into the matter is ongoing and as a result of that engagement, we the police fully support the decision to close the prison for the next 21 days.”
This afternoon (Feb. 4), SKNVibes contacted the newly-appointed Superintendent of Prisons, Junie Hodge, to have more details into the closure.
However, contrary to the reason given by the Acting Commissioner, Hodge, in a very brief answer to the question, said: “The closure was to facilitate a smooth transition.”
Apart from the release not providing an explanation for the closure, the main reason for this publication seeking one was because of the many calls from concerned citizens who claimed to have relatives incarcerated at Her Majesty’s Prison.
Regardless of which of the two given explanations is the reason for the closure, or both, this is not the first time that prohibited items were found within the walls of the prison.
On the morning of Sunday, August 2, 2015, a surprise search conducted by officers of HMP, the RSCNPF and the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force as well as personnel from Her Majesty’s Custom and Excise Department realised the find of 19 cellular phones, a quantity of cellular phone batteries and a number of illegal items, including screwdrivers, within the cells and all public spaces accessed by inmates.
Following that find, then Acting Superintendent of Prisons Ashiela Connor had said that the prison regularly conducts searches of inmates and the facilities, adding that searches are conducted every time a prisoner leaves and re-enters the facility from outside work or other business.
And in March 2012, a cellular phone was discovered during a search by police and prison officers with what the then Police Press and Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Stephen Hector, claimed to be “a newly-acquired specialised equipment”.
He said that the specialised equipment was procured by then Commissioner of Police Celvin ‘CG’ Walwyn for use by members of the Police Force.
Prior to that revelation, during his Jail Delivery Report at the closing of the January Criminal Assizes on Thursday, March 31, 2011, Chief Prison Officer Alton Liburd was asked by the jury what were the most prevalent contrabands smuggled into the prison.
In response, Liburd told the Court that marijuana, cigarettes and cellular phones are the items predominantly smuggled into the correctional facility.
