NONE OF THE PRISON OFFICERS who gave evidence before the tribunal investigating the fire at Glendairy Prisons will be penalised.

This assurance came from Attorney-General Dale Marshall yesterday amidst reports that senior prison officer Vincent Alleyne, who gave evidence at the inquiry, was recently transferred to another department in the Attorney-General's ministry.

"The fact that any member of the prison service would be punitively dealt with purely on the basis of them doing their lawful duty and their constitutional right to appear before the commission – that they could be penalised for that is abhorrent and could not and will not happen under my watch," Marshall said.

He confirmed that Alleyne had been transferred to the National Task Force on Crime because he was a criminologist with a Master's in criminology.

"His position is better than what he enjoyed at the prison. He has a Master's in criminology", said Marshall.

When questioned further about reports that his ministry was in possession of a list of names of other prison officers to be transferred, Marshall said no such list existed.

"Nobody under my watch who appeared before the tribunal will be dealt with in a punitive fashion," he reiterated, adding: "I expect that every member of the prison service who was called on to appear before the tribunal spoke faithfully and truthfully."

He also refused to discuss reports that there were strained relations among Acting Superintendent Lieutenant-Colonel John Nurse and some of the officers who had given testimony at the inquiry. (WG)