TCI prison boss to take over HMP Northward
Steven Barrett
(CNS): Steven Barrett, who is currently serving as the superintendent of prisons in the Turks and Caicos Islands, will be taking over HM Cayman Islands Prison Service next month as the interim director, the home affairs ministry announced Thursday. Barrett, a senior manager with more than 30 years of prison experience, formerly worked with the Scottish Prison Service and will serve at the helm of HMP Northward until the vacant post is filled permanently. The top job became open when the current director, Neil Lavis, unexpectedly announced his resignation months after signing a new three-year contract.
Officials said that an open recruitment exercise to fill the post will begin in the next few months. In the meantime, Barrett will take over the management of the country’s prisons, the detention centre at Fairbanks and the Immigration Detention Centre.
The selection process was facilitated with the assistance of the governor’s office and the Association of Prison Governors in the UK, which issued a circular to its membership on behalf of the ministry, inviting expressions of interest. The selection panel included the chief officer and other senior officials in the ministry as well as the overseas territories prison adviser.
Officials said in a release that key achievements during Barrett’s time in TCI include: improvements to the overall safety, security and good order of the prison, works to upgrade the facility and enhance the quality of life for prisoners, improvements to the disaster readiness procedures of the prison service, and the implementation of local partnerships with outside agencies to offer rehabilitation opportunities for the inmates.
Good luck StevieGood move from Scotland Well done Cayman for getting him from TACaicos….. he will help you manage well
I know He used to work for me
Another great hire in the civil service. The message is clear you have to possess a proven track record of high achievement to get a senior post in the civil service.
Gone are the days of nepotism and political appointees.
Barrett you are coming to paradise.
Really ???? Marco Archer, Pat Eastwick
I worked with Stevie Barrett in Scotland. Well done Stevie I hope they Allow
You to manage and do the right thing
Change always needs to happen to keep everyone fresh that’s staff and prisoners !!
We still haven’t heard exactly why the previous boss at HMP Northward resigned just after 3 – 4 months of signing a new multi year contact. Could it have been due to the hiring of a prison officer from overseas who had a serious criminal record ?
Speculation, but the public desrves to know why Mr Lavis resigned.
Welcome Mr. Barrett- kinda cute too
So, the message to the deputy that acted for 2 weeks or any of the other senior staff – don’t apply now or in the future!
No issue with Mr. Barrett taking up the post in Cayman – welcome sir.
My issue / concern though is with CIG / Governors office – are we really to believe that Mr. Barrett is leaving his current post without already having the post in Cayman agreed and sealed…so to speak. Are we to believe that the “selection process” has not yet been fully concluded?
“Officials said that an open recruitment exercise to fill the post will begin in the next few months”.
Errr…why the delay, what a joke.
Spoke with one of my TCI colleagues, he believes this is a win for Cayman and a loss for TCI. Welcome Mr Barrett and the best to you!
Frying pan to fire. Good luck.