Governor Adrian Davis
Inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison have claimed that they have requested an urgent meeting with the Hon. Attorney General and His Excellency the Governor to discuss several issues. The Governor has responded that his “unequivocable answer” to him having received the request is ‘No’. “They may have sent it, but I have not received it.”
The Hon. Attorney General, Esco Henry while not actually acknowledging receipt of the issues was aware of them, but thought that the Governor may not have received them.
The Governor however said that he was aware of concerns about prisoners complaining about such things as the food being bland or not enough, but the prison visiting committee had reported that the “concerns had diminished.”
He said there was also concerns about the lack of a transport vehicle, but that had been rectified by the FCO.
The Montserrat Reporter was communicated a list of eleven (11) matters of concerns said to be among the issues the inmates wished to bring and discuss with the Governor.
The issues are as follows:
- Food not varied as rules mandate
- Behaviour of officers
- Violation of Prison Rules
- Violations of freedom of expression (which includes the right to receive information) by not allowing us to watch certain channels like Court TV and ETV.
- Fettering my right to appeal by not allowing me to type on a computer.
- Denying conjugal visit which violates right to family as guaranteed in new constitution.
- Refusing inmates use of telephone to maintain contact with relatives.
- Officers threatening inmates.
- Big discrepancy between Montserrat prison and other dependant territory even though same prison rules.
- Prison officers refusing to provide us with copy of the rules. It is given for a limited time and then taken away.
- Procedure for bringing internal charges, a MAJOR VIOLATION of Administrative law.
