Prison director quashes rumour of rioting

| 21/05/2020 | 13 Comments
Cayman News Service
HMP Northward

(CNS): Rumours circulating on social media that prisoners at HMP Northward are rioting are false, Prison Director Steve Barret has stated. HM Cayman Islands Prison Service reported on Monday, 18 May, that two inmates were positive for COVID-19, which Barret said in a statement on Thursday had cause some anxiety among staff and inmates, but he said the atmosphere at both prisons in the Cayman Islands remained calm.

The prison director said he was aware of exchanges on social media that suggested that prisoners were rioting and that staff were refusing to participate in the COVID-19 testing programme. “That is not accurate and nor is it fair,” he said.

“Social media is, and remains, an extremely important way for people to communicate but when families of prisoners hear falsely of rioting and unrest, it can be intensely worrying and also unsettling for the staff and the prisoners,” Barret said.

He explained that since they first became aware of the test results, the atmosphere at both Northward and Fairbanks prisons had remained calm and that, contrary to the rumours circulating on social media, there was no rioting, “although, as you can imagine, staff and prisoners have some anxiety about the positive test results, and that is only to be expected”.

The prison director said the prison service continued to work closely with public health officials. “As part of our immediate response to the positive test results and to minimise opportunity for further spread of the virus, we’ve restricted residents to their rooms while contact tracing and further testing takes place,” he added.

He said he intended to keep these restrictions in place for the shortest possible time because of the impact that long term confinement in a cell can have on an inmate’s emotional well-being.

Barret commended the work of prison staff and the patience and understanding of the prisoners. “They are cooperating to try to tackle the situation together. We came in it together and we’ll get out of it together,” he said.


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Category: Crime, Prison

Comments (13)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    I guess the reason why that rumour started was because they had some prisoners up there locked down in a section of the prison that was condemned and not fit for human habitation..

  2. Anonymous says:

    If you treat someone with respect it is usually followed back in kind. I am sure the inmates know they are in prison, so calling them “residents” and “ their rooms” is probably a level of respect. I’m guessing….

  3. Anonymous says:

    Who is it out there that have lost electricity and water since we’ve been locked down?please sign your name and I will move to look about this .

  4. Anonymous says:

    ,” we’ve restricted residents to their rooms “. Residents? Rooms? Sounds like a care home not a prison.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I’m curious. How does somebody in prison catch Covid19?

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      • Anonymous says:

        To 1.30pm By coming in contact with someone or something that has the virus. Such a prison officer, a visitor, goods delivered by visitors or maybe thrown over the fence.

  5. Elvis says:

    One headline I read on a rumor road was is our prison rioting. Firstly it would never be your prison and scaremongering like this only triggers flash points in prison. Totally idiotic topic to discuss just to whip up an audience.
    Prisoners and staff have this under control. Teamwork is at its highest to date I’m informed. This is a time for all at northward to stick together and make sure this doesn’t get through. Not a time for scare no getting. Madness, I know many people working there and the director works tirelessly to ensure they stick to their pandemic plan without reading c** p online.
    Please think before you scare the island people

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Congratulations to our Prison Director and his staff. Keep up the good work.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Sure, let the criminals out and get ready to receive the people trying to work. Sorry. I forgot. It is illegal to work in Alden’s Brave New Cayman.
      This is an absolute disgrace.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Persons who cannot handle the excellent way the country is dealing with this pandemic will deliberately make up their narrative just to cause mischief. Please be grateful. Not everything shown on TV in other countries must happen here. We are a blessed place, count your blessings. We will come out of this one day. Things might get hard but we will survive if we do not lose hope.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Have you paid anyone else’s bills?
      Have you felt the pain of many people who are lining up for a crust.
      They have no lights, no water and a pitiful NAU certificate.
      Some of us are front and center and responding.
      What have you done?
      Pray tell, Mr. “Got it all Together”.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Blessings, my a$$.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Why would the prisoners riot? They have a place to stay. No bills, plenty of food TV and internet.
    If anyone would riot, it would be the supposedly “free” people that are being crushed by this current unrighteous regime.
    No jobs, no electricity, no running water and smugness himself pontificating about our “well-being”.
    Well Mr. Smugness, or do I call you Highness? F&^& &*u.

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