Local attorney and social activist, Paul Moss, on Wednesday called on his colleagues in the legal fraternity to speak out on the conditions of Her Majestyﾴs Prison.
He said the conditions are a travesty to those incarcerated.
Speaking outside the gates of the Prison on Fox Hill Road, Mr. Moss was joined by family members and members of the Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM).
Saying he and other lawyers must share the blame for what is happening at the prison, Mr. Moss called for immediate improvements to be carried out.
ﾓWe as lawyers have an obligation to speak out on the conditions not only for our clients and other inmates, but also for the prison officers and family members who are also affected,ﾒ he said.
Many lawyers make their living representing inmates, but do not agitate for their well-being and should be blamed for the conditions at the correctional facility, Mr. Moss added.
ﾓWe are sending men and women to be punished without seeking any organized or structured rehabilitation,ﾒ he said. ﾓMany of whom will re-enter society worse off as a result and society pays the price.ﾒ ﾠ
Mr. Mossﾴs sentiments follow those of Wayne Munroe, president of The Bahamas Bar Association, who recently addressed the issue of prison reform. He too appealed for changes. ﾠ
Mr. Moss said he visited a relative for several weeks and recognized the appalling conditions that he said are hazardous to prison officers and inmates.
ﾓSeveral weeks ago, while at the prison I witnessed inmates carrying human waste from the prison in large garbage bags,ﾒ he said. ﾓSome of the waste leaked on to the floor and I can tell you that the stench was unbearable.ﾒ
He said he observed another inmate attempting to disinfect the floor as prison officers watched and one officer tried to eat food during the process.
ﾓImagine using the bucket after another inmate. Imagine eating dinner whilst someone else is using it,ﾒ Mr. Moss said. ﾓThis must stop!ﾒ
He continued, ﾓWe can no longer allow our men and women to live and work under such detestable conditions and talk about adhering to international standards and best practices.ﾒ ﾠ
In criticizing the facility, Mr. Moss called the prison a fire hazard, blasting conditions that allow inmates to suffer with poor ventilation, not to mention overcrowding.
Calling the meeting area at the prison inadequate, the attorney said the space is nothing short of a sweatbox, making it difficult for lawyers to conduct business with clients.
Mr. Moss also claimed that the constitutional rights of some prisoners are being violated, adding that all of the prisoners held in Maximum Security cells are suffering cruel and inhumane treatment.
ﾓWe call on the government to immediately address the overcrowding at the prison,ﾒ he said. ﾓLegislation should be passed to allow for persons awaiting trial to be placed under either house arrest or electronic monitoring should be employed.ﾒ
The government has long admitted to serious faults at the prison and is adopting recommendations of the Prison Reform Commission in stages.
Minister of National Security Cynthia Pratt in her 2004/2005 Budget Communication, said while the overcrowded conditions at Her Majesty’s Prison remain bleak, the recommendations are receiving great attention.
An estimated $250,000 was provided for the implementation of the prison reform recommendations in the present fiscal period.
The Prison Reform Commission was appointed in October 2002 to submit recommendations on the policies, programmes, premises and procedures necessary to overtime transform the prison into a correctional facility, and to considerably lower the high recidivism rate.
Despite the negative comments aired about the condition of the prison, Minister Pratt said that the government was doing something to clean it up.
She noted that some of the problems at the prison existed since the 1950s, and would not be corrected in a mere two years.
Yvette Rolle-Major, The Bahama Journal
