Unions refused to speak with Prime Minister even though he is responsible for safety and security.
PHILIPSBURG: ---- The three unions namely, NAPB, ABVO and WICSU/PSU that called all prison guards to a meeting on Thursday which was held at the office of the WICSU/PSU gave the Minister of Justice an ultimatum which expires on Tuesday, September 13th, 2016.
According to well-placed sources the letter the unions deposited at the department of General Affairs on Thursday for the Minister of Justice Edison Kirindongo who was off island at the time gave the Minister until Tuesday September 13th to either provide solutions or give them answers to regarding the safety and security of their members working at the Pointe Blanche house of detention.
According to information SMN News received is that the prison guards are also demanding that the director of the prison Edward Rohan be removed from his position since he is not able to properly manage the prison neither does he have a proper working relationship with his subordinates. One of the things that angered the prison guards who left their posts on Thursday is the fact that Rohan did not speak with his workers or the prisoners since the shooting incident that claimed the life of Omar Jones who was serving a prison sentence of 29 years and nine months.
Apart from that a lot of prison guards are out on sick leave creating a shortage of staff at the house of detention, it is also understood that the staff shortage is so bad that sometimes there are only two female guards working the night shifts, simply because guards that are up in arms with Rohan chose to take extensive sick leave, while some of them did so out of fear.
Since Rohan took office the state of affairs of Pointe Blanche prison has dropped to its lowest, his lack of communication with his workers has made things worse for the institution and now the unions are asking for drastic decisions be taken.
Efforts made to reach the Minister of Justice on Sunday for a comment proved futile.
