TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO PRISONS COMMISSIONER DENIES ABUSE IN PRISONS

By a Staff reporter: Commissioner of Prisons Dennis Pulchan has denied claims made by high risk prisoners housed in the Wayne Jackson Building at the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca, of abuse and denial of basic rights.
This in response to a letter written by one high profile inmate to his attorneys and was released on social media this week. The inmate sought to clarify the current situation surrounding the recent murders of two prison officers and the threat to kill 13 more before the end of the year. In the letter, he also detailed allegations of abuse from prison officers over a four-day period beginning November 26th.
He claimed prisoners are being punished following the deaths of the officers even though they had nothing to do with the killings and that the officers had been denying prisoners food, baths, and even yard time.
IENews spoke with Commissioner Pulchan on Thursday for some insight. He said that baths meals and air time is being given as usual but he cannot prevent an inmate from saying as they feel.
Regarding his officers, Commissioner Pulchan added that despite threats on their lives, they have been reporting to work as usual and continue to treat inmates as they should.
And with their being no Inspector of Prisons for the past 2 years, IENews asked the commissioner what impact this may be having inside the prisons. He said the inspector’s role is to submit reports to the Ministry of National Security. Despite this, he gave assurances that continued measures are in place to protect his officers and they are expecting a speedy resolution to what is brewing from behind the prison walls.