POINTE BLANCHE–While the director of Pointe Blanche prison called a total lockdown, striking inmates in the detention facility want to meet with caretaker Prime Minister Wycliffe Smith and Acting Minister of Justice Perry Geerlings.
The inmates called a strike on Wednesday against the “inhumane” conditions under which they are detained. On Thursday, they decided to intensify their action by refusing to enter the cells voluntarily. The police were called in Thursday evening to lock them in.
On Friday, striking inmates reportedly vandalised their cells and committed arson, a Prosecutor said in Court during one of Friday’s scheduled appeal hearings (see related story). The incidents may have been in response to the prison director’s decision to impose a total lockdown.
“Prisoners are placed on lockdown because of last night’s [Thursday’s – Ed] strike. This is against the law, and yet the government is not doing anything,” the spokesperson for the inmates said Friday.
Normally the prison cells are opened at 7:30am and the inmates receive breakfast around 15 minutes later. However, the inmates did not receive any breakfast on Friday, the spokesperson stated mid-morning in a WhatsApp message.
“Some inmates are diabetic and need to take their medicine at a certain time. They are starving. This is how they are being treated because they decided to execute their rights. Other inmates do not have a shower in their cell and need to shower elsewhere. The director of the prison has decided not to feed the inmates. The situation is getting worse and worse,” the spokesperson said.
The inmates requested that caretaker Prime Minister Smith and caretaker Minister of Justice Geerlings to come and talk to them on Friday.
“The inmates want answers and requested a meeting with the director, but he is refusing. The inmates are requesting the government for help. Based on what law the director decide this [the lockdown]? This is unacceptable,” their representative said.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/92007-director-orders-prison-lockdown-inmates-want-to-speak-with-govt
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