By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
SOME 400 cell phones have been confiscated by officers at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for the year as officials enhance their efforts to crack down on contraband smuggling.
Acting Commissioner of Corrections Doan Cleare gave the latest figures during a press conference at the prison yesterday before leading government officials and members of the media on a tour.
However, he could not say the total weight of drugs seized this year.
“The last report that I was given from the search and contraband unit that they have found at this compound, they have found close to over 400 cell phones and (some) drugs. I don’t have the actual weightage of the drugs, but they searched every day,” Mr Cleare said.
He said the issue continues to be a major concern for officials, adding “one of the reasons why we are trying to curtail contrabands in this particular vicinity, because this will be the only vicinity that will remain open on the compound after your new construction.”
He was referring to construction of a new high-medium correctional facility that is scheduled to be built next year.
“We’re going to be closing down medium security, female prison and the minimum-security prison will be closed down and because this new facility will be a, you know, a contained air-conditioned facility, you know, we cannot allow smoking or any other contraband to get inside.
“So that’s why we’re concentrating so heavily on this remand centre,” he added.
National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said it was “alarming” that some 400 cell phones could be recovered in a facility where “the only persons in and out have been correctional officers and some contractors.”
He said it was a problem officials were aware of and moving to address, adding that with the construction of this new prison facility, officials hope to reduce the likelihood of such behaviour.
“Part of the thrust for a purpose-built structure is not only to comply with what we’re confronted with every day, about things that have to happen, simple things like you have to have water in a prison, potable water, water to flush toilets simple things like that, but it also permits you to have a better control on security,” he said.
“And so, the fact that these cells will be two-ply steel means that you can’t dig and hide any of the contraband anywhere, all of the furniture is in that same fashion. You can’t dig and hide contraband anywhere.”
Mr Munroe continued: “We’ve been having a number of issues with persons with mental challenges and so you will see if you were to consider the design of the new high-medium prison, a separate housing unit, especially for them, where you can segregate them singularly in a cell so they’re not in a cell with anybody else who they may have altercations with, you will see a medical facility there, as we know that the hospital does not particularly like prisoners to be brought down to the hospital.
“And so there will be a facility where on premises, you can have treatment that prevents persons being transported for simple things to the hospital and so the issue of contraband is a vexing one and - as we set about setting up a facility that rules out the ability for that to happen that has a singular access point, that has the ability to have a comprehensive system installed, we hope to weed out and eliminate that type of behaviour or certainly reduce it to a bare minimum.”
Earlier this year, Mr Munroe regretted a new trend seen by prison officials: which includes some officers retrieving and later distributing drugs that are thrown over the prison’s walls.
He has already said that his ministry will not tolerate such actions and will also hold those responsible accountable.