Officers and inmates object to prison boss’ departure

 
Officers and inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison were in unison yesterday as they voiced their objection to the possible departure of Superintendent of Prisons, Albert Wade.
Wade, who has been at the helm of the prison since November 2014, has requested that his secondment be terminated to clear the way for his return to the Royal Police Force of Antigua & Barbuda.
However, a well-placed source who did not wish to be named said that Superintendent Wade has transformed the prison to such an extent that the staff and inmates don’t want to see him go.
“Nobody can run the prison like Wade; he is the man. Before Wade came to Her Majesty’s Prison the place was not run good. [Now] the inmates are more respectful and he has made an effort to improve the inhumane conditions [that] staff had to work in and prisoners had to live in,” the source said.
Yesterday, the most senior staff at HMP took their concerns to the office of the National Security Minister, Steadroy Benjamin, who has responsibility for the prison.
Benjamin told OBSERVER media that he has met with the staff and Wade to hear their issues, and the intention is to report back to them on Monday, after he has brought the matter to the attention of Cabinet, today.
“It’s a very good thing because it shows the man’s commitment to nation building and to keep the integrity of the prison at its optimum level. He actually recommended two persons for the post, but I don’t know how Cabinet thinks about the matter. I think Wade is an excellent worker, he has done a remarkable job,” Benjamin said.
 
(More in today’s Daily Observer)