Surveillance cameras are coming to Dominica’s state prison, if the authorities there have their way.
One key reason being advanced for going down that route is to try to contain the practice of members of the public smuggling drugs to prison inmates, including throwing illegal substances over the prison fence.
Assistant superintendent of prisons Raphael Catin says a proposal for installing CCTV cameras has already been sent to government.
“Our fencing, we need to improve that, we need to put cameras in place so you can really monitor what’s happening – people send things all over the fence”.
Catin said CCTV cameras would make it easier to monitor the situation.
He is hoping that the surveillance cameras will be in place within the next four months.
The prison official is also calling for increased man power at the correctional facility.
“When it comes to staff we need more staff, yes we do with what we have but at the same time because of the limited staff we are unable to really put all the inmates who are available to work on active duty,” the prison official said.
“We just don’t have enough officers to do what we need to do, to monitor when drugs are coming in and so on, it is really a strain on us,” Catin said.
Surveillance cameras/closed circuit cameras, whatever, the sooner they are installed the better.
I had a hard time reading this article…
Prison officials BATS for…. is a cricket game?
1.R U serious? Come on DNO editors, what’s with the one quotation sentence paragraph?
2. R U serious? There are no surveillance cameras at the prison?”
3. R U Serious? The prison have to apply to the g/ment for security cameras?
Well Mrs Francis, obviously you have to be spoon fed. Maybe you need a literary course. The word “bat” is quite fine. Here are some links in other news papers that use the same word. Read and learn.
http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/headline-Government-ministers-bat-for-Grenada-PM-11245.html
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120425/news/news2.html
Ok, what would be more cost effective, installing those cameras with high maintenance and repair fees orrrrrrrrrrr, wait for it…just hire more warm bloodied people in there and create more jobs @ the same instance?
There are reasonable request and unreasonable ones, but this request is long overdue, we are so yesterday and like those before me pointed out what took the authorities so long? To say the least it`s laughable that in the year 2012 such establishments like our prisons. our courts, police headquarters,Government Headquarters,and the list goes on, these places should have had surveillance long time. Yes the question of money comes into question and we all agree every thing cannot happen at once, but we must place our attention at those sensitive area, and in some small measures if we cannot secure funds from other countries take it from the Government piggy bank and let the remainder come from the spoils of crimes, from fines mitted out by our courts. When we brag about taking Dominica to the next level we should also include those areas as well.
Don’t be surprised when you see the serveillance camaras on the State Malice and the Billion Dollar Villas.
What the guards need is some bois bande Rum to keeep the UP when the clock strikes 12.
While it is true that the drugs are being thrown over the fence and that is wrong, take a closer look at the officers,for years they are the ones suppling drugs to the inmates, that is true. Just do some deep investigation you,ll be suprise at what you would fine
.
Cameras to see all the none sense dem prison officers doing too. See how long they still cya give Michael Peters his job back. If there were cameras, those in charge would know who was involved.But……time will tell
what am i reading the prison dose not have CAMERAS , WHAT IS THIS COUNTRY GETING TO ? if the state pirson dose not have cameras why build that BIG police station in grand bay . does grand bay have ccameras to LOL.poor dominica
we dont need no new prison the your people of dominica needs to find had work to do and stay out of problem. and i have are big problem with the goverments of dominica i need to see this young guys out in the daytime and find work to take care of the sick in our hospitals and to take care of them self is we the working people that is paying to take care of them so thay have to play there part by working had just like us the had working dominicans i just think the cost to take care of them is to high
In 2012? No cameras at the State prison? LMAO!!!
Seriouly, DA really backward!!!! It no wonder these prisoners does escape
hhmm, DA really backward. No cameras yet at the prison? lol
I guess the focus is on fixing roads and building State of Art state house……….
so DA prison has no camera yet? DA really backward papa!!!
When will “Crisis Management” stop being the way things are dealt with? The word pro-active needs to be studied and then SOMEONE actually has to do something besides hold meetings to discuss a situation like this. Is it too hot to have any energy left for actually planning and implementing anything – ever? DUH!
Great move never to late.That’s all over the world.Smile u are on Camera.
The reason for all this prison issues is on management, both in the prison and ministry of national security level , they treat the prison like a preschool , laws and procedures are lacking ,officers salaries needs to be adjusted to fit the role that they play , they are not junior or senior clerks behind a desk, they are prison officers , lack of security everywhere , the prison has been calling for more staff for sometime now , I see here the prison officials did not even point out the fact of security for officers and inmates , the more officers you have at any prison is better for inmates and officers in a riot/fight situation , if you have just one officer sick at work its a problem, every one scratches their heads and looks at one another , there needs to be better management to run the place both in prison and at a government level !!!
CCTV is not foolproof unless someone is monitoring it 24/7 – playback is only useful “after the fact”.
– construct also a second perimeter with an unabstructed, flood-lit no-mans land in between
– staff to be subject to random searches. They may feel offended but this should be a condition of amployment, just like substance checks for people operating dangerous plant/equipment in developed countries today.
Cameras would be essential to a prison system, But the fact that this prison is so OLD the question really shouldn’t be putting in CCTV rather than isn’t it time for a more up-to date prison in Dominica? With this new boom of infrastructure an such a new prison should be placed into that equation.
Dominica definetly need a new prison, stockfarm is a joke I have heard stories of inmates climming over , and under the fence to go get drugs, and rum, and then return without being detected.
With the rate of incarceration, the prison population is bond to rise, then what? dominica is heading for a prison population over load, like California, and any other major U.S. state.
The correctional officers in dominica need training , the prison officials need to hire more proffessional staffs to train the officers.
Cameras, hand held detectors,drug sniffing dogs , are needed, the inmates phones need to be monitored.
I have only one thing to say ” the sate of a nation’s prison has a lot to say about that country”.
Wait a minute!! The State Prison doesn’t have surveillance cameras?? It’s 2012 Mr. Minister of National Security.
Here we have the PM talking about the urgency of constructing a “state of the art” building for his party, but the State Prison lacks a basic resource. UNBELIEVABLE!! Even I have CCTV at my residence.
Evident of a poor and backward country.
AN 18-3 COUNTRY.
This should have been an integral part of the prison in 2012. BACKWARDNESS AND INABILITY TO PRIORITIZE.
but what is the big delay about? A request should be made and cameras should be available the next day!
Liat can get 8 million. so that should be nothing….these fellas have no idea the can or worms that gonna open over this 8 million.
we need a ne prison a bigger one to. one where all real hars hard time will serve for murder and stock farm can be for lil eed sin.
At the end of the day, it would serve the government right to build a new prison. The current one should refurbished to serve as a juvenile and remand facility while a new one somewhere in Pond Casse or or Caholm area should be constructed for those gwomalnom facing time. Matter of fact, some current “big boys” will end up there in the near future so it would be wise if they put at lest 10 single, supermax cells in it for high profile criminals.After all, they will be the ones occupying it.
Assertive, NOT Agressive!
I concur.
@ Shameless
I do agree with you. On the other hand, is it not sad that Dominica has come to this, high profile criminals and the likes?
I love Dominica since I was born and brought up in DA. I want all what is best for it and its nationals. If only this criminal situation did not get worst. We must find a way to eradicate it. One of it is through godly proper parenting/ nurturing and school discipline. I am a confident person that it could be done but with also the concerted effort of the government, school board/Minister of Education, principals/teachers and Church. It can be done.
Have you seen the commercial on weight loss and weight control? “Yes, we can!” All co-operating together. God bless!
what you assertive for other people,should be assertive for yourself also,so be very much carefull what you wish for in your technical effort to bring down other people.
I DO NOT AGGREE WITH EVERYTHING SAID HERE BUT WITH REFERENCE TO THE OLD AND NEW PRISONS AND THEIR LOCATION I CONCUR AS TO THE DETAILS I DO NOT KNOW
This proves the sad reality of a backward country. Unfortunately many of the people’s mind is that way, backward in their thinking. Many don’t read but rely on what people say.
Well said. This should have been in place long ago. Unfortunately with the prevailing state of affairs i suspect it is something that will take time.
we are not more backward than where you come from. respect me.i am dominican and i am not as backward as you to post such a stupid statement.dominica is not as developed as you but you beg the same way as we.if you from the us china is now paying your debts.look around your entourage and you will see how douvan dèyè BACKWARD you are.
Excuse me, I am a son of the soil, born and raised in Dominica. And yes, I hold my current position, there is a serious brain drain in Dominica and many of the people their thinking is backward!
and what does the drug coming in have to do with being understaffed and unable to put inmates to work on active duty?
@ stoic
In this matter you are an unpopular person. You do not want what is good for your country and for others in general. It is a prison. The officials cannot and should not tolerate those paraphernalia in the prison compound and given to prisoners. Surely, you should have the common sense to know this. If you do not comprehend that, you are without understanding and one who is living a useless life and citizen, not assisting your country to become a model country and to eradicate such crimes.
i guess they’ll have to train pigeons to do the job…..in America pigeons even bring cell phones to inmates…they bring in piece by piece and then they assemble it
@ stoic
Pigeons cannot talk. Kill all those pigeons. They are a menace as well.
lol how funny
We need a new prison, period. I don’t recall any administration ever addressing this accute need. More and more criminals are sent to Stockfarm and we all know the prison is way too overcrowded and there are lots of issues with infrastructure, security and rehabilitation. Lets see a plan towards building a new modern prison. Lets not be shortsighted.
@ Pedro
Have you addressed this to the proper authorities as the PM? It would be a good idea to ask and respectfully so. I do believe that in time, DA will have a new one just as a new and modern hospital. Pray for this.
Keep in mind the few dollars that the DA government has is insufficient to build them. It needs help from its nationals and other venues. Therefore, have patience. Sometimes we must make do with what we have and hope for the best and try means of making them sufficient, be it certain changes as camera surveillance. This is a good idea. All perpetrators, outside and inside will be caught.
Wait a minute.. we never had surveillance cameras! lol. Maybe we shouldn’t even post this article- Dominica will be thought of as a joke!
me whoever you are you couldn’t have said it better than that.it is a joke. wow. in this day and age right so backwards.
@ Me
I totally disagree with you!
It is necessary. Prisons in other lands, progressive ones have surveillance cameras and other means of keeping out such items. They also conduct searches. If their visitors are searched by prison employees of integrity, drugs and the likes will not be brought in; they will be confiscated.
I’m I hearing correctly? When facilities like a prosn are constructed,, isn’t the use of cameras an essential resource for security in and around a prison? My God, this place has been in operation for so long, and is only now that a request or a proposal is being made to have CCTV cameras installed? Somebody went to sleep.
For toolong we get too comfortable, when things are running, we just agree and sit back because it’s like bvusiness as usual. Nobody looks and thinks of the future and the challenges that should be expected to make preapartions for improvements.
Satelite, you should ask when was the prison constructed. 40 years or more ago, there was not much consideration for CCT most places in the caribbean. But moving on, most gov’t run facilities in DA keep the status quo on and on until something really bad happens.Apart from the obvious need of CCT as part of standard security (should not have to be justified by prison staff and drug smuggling should not even be the first reason advanced!) Well, thats how it is in DA. We settle for how things have been, and even those who know better can’t be bothered.
@ Satelite
Have you been sleeping? Some of you must think seriously before making such statements and giving thumbs up. When some people sensibly comment they get thumbs down from some of you.
In bygone years Dominica did not have the type of criminals it has today. As time goes by, and as the activities of criminals/murderers increase and their people find all sorts of means to send them drugs, it is obviously necessary to consider and implement surveillance cameras. This should also be done in stores.
I think in this case, Dominica should also learn from non-democratic countries as China. How many of their prisoners scale walls of all to escape and their relatives and friends throw illegal drugs over the fence to them? Give this a thought.
We’re small island not big city where you’re at now . Eventually it will come.
The staff also help in smuggling the drugs to inmates. Do a little internal investigation too
@ Anonymous
I do not disagree with you. Consider, this is a world-wide situation. There are times they practice preferential treatment towards prisoners. They may be relatives and friends of those who are imprisoned. It is something that the prison authorities should look into and remove them from that position.
They should be trained and to abide with employee prison rules and regulations. They should not be friendly with prisoners. Prisoners are not lovers of the country and law-abiding people. Those in authority should not be chummy with them. Treat them with due dignity and respect as human beings but never as contemporaries.
The prison authorities must be people of integrity and to apply the rules and regulations so as to curb this.
You’re so right. I believe the prison should be privatize. When I look at the head and his deputies,they are such a waste of time. Prison officers using the materials and make burglar bars gate for people. O go on and on. Government must rethink about the staff at the prison.