Inmate calls radio station to say riot at the prison is imminent since food, water, and conditions have become unbearable

Prisoners at the country’s main penal institution reportedly are up in arms and threatening to start a riot over the conditions to which they are being subjected – including the alleged scarcity of proper food.

An inmate of His Majesty’s Prison accessed a phone today, December 16, and called into a morning programme on Progressive FM.

He complained that he had not received breakfast this morning and for several days, and he claimed, further, that the irregular serving of food has been going on for almost a year.  Since that time, he said, the prison kitchen has been locked down and food is provided by an outside source.

Reportedly, meals for the inmates were being catered by the School Meals Programme; but this apparently has changed.

The prisoner says the food that the inmates are given to eat is not fit for animals.  Accordingly, he says, they usually dump the meals, since they cause them to feel sick.

Complaints were also made about the drinking water at the prison –

a problem that has been going on for about three months, the inmate says.

According to the caller, even the treats that prisoners’ relatives bring them are either taken away, or not accepted at all, by the prison authorities.

He says that pleas to the prison officers have been unsuccessful, since they were told that they – the prison officers – cannot do anything to help them; rather, the inmates would have to stand up for themselves.

The overwrought man says the inmates are now at their wits’ end and want immediate action to be taken by the Gaston Browne Administration, which has been failing the penal institution.

Just two months ago – in October – some prison officers downed tools over their working conditions and called for the removal of the Superintendent and the Permanent Secretary, who has charge over the Ministry under which His Majesty’s Prison falls.