BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ACCOMMODATION for inmates of Her Majesty’s Prison continues to be problematic, as a significant increase of the population was recorded for the 2010 May Criminal Assizes when compared to that of January 2010.
This was the information presented to Justice Francis Belle by Chief Officer Alvin Vasquez when he delivered the ‘Jail Deliver’ report during the close of the May 2010 Criminal Assizes at the Basseterre High Court on Thursday, July 16.
Vasquez indicated that at July 16, 2010, the prison population was 275, seven of whom are females. Of the 268 males, 42 of them are incarcerated at Russell’s Rest in Nevis, which is commonly known as Nevis Prison Farm. All the females are being held in St. Kitts.
Speaking to the distribution of inmates, Vasquez told Justice Belle that 140 males and three females were convicted in the High Court, 54 males and one female at the Magistrate’s Court level, 39 awaiting trial at the Magistrate’s Court level 15 at the High court.
Two men are awaiting sentencing date at the High Court level, one awaiting the hearing of his appeal and four are at the “Queen’s Pleasure”.
He also informed that males and females are debtors while there are five condemned prisoners on death row. There are also two prohibited immigrants at the Cayon Street penitentiary.
As at December 17, 2009, the prison population stood at 262. Forty of them were at the Prison Farm in Nevis and 222 at the facility in St. Kitts, including three females. This indicates that there has been an increase of 13 inmates – nine males and four females.
The September Assizes is scheduled to commence on September 21, 2010.
