THE FIRST PHASE of the Commission of Inquiry into the burning of Glendairy Prisons two years ago is now complete.

After 67 days of testimony from almost 100 witnesses who provided over 13 000 pages of transcripts, Chairman Sir Lisle Austin Ward yesterday ended the evidenciary stage.

Sir Lisle, a retired chief justice of Bermuda, said the commission would now peruse all the evidence, before presenting a report and/or recommendations to Governor-General Sir Clifford Husbands.

Yesterday's session was completed when Michael Beckles, attorney for Acting Superintendent of Prisons Lieutenant-Colonel John Nurse wrapped up his submission, before commission attorney Orville Durant did likewise.

THE SENIOR LAWYER for the Commission of Inquiry said yesterday a measure of resistance had been shown to the boss of Glendairy Prisons during his tenure, but that the chief still fell down in a number of ways during a riot two years ago.

In addition, the superintendent's actions of bringing in police to investigate staff drove a serious wedge between him and his employees, which led to more problems over a two-day period when inmates burnt down the Station Hill, St Michael facility.

Orville Durant made those comments during his closing submission on the final day of the evidenciary stage of the Commission of Inquiry into the riot at Glendairy on March 29 and 30, 2005.

"When we look back at the prison during the superintendent's tenure, he came at a time of resistance, because prison officers did not want someone from outside to take charge," Durant said.

He added that when Acting Superintendent Lieutenant-Colonel John Nurse called in police and staff were interdicted, "everything went downhill from there".

Durant was making his submission after Nurse had been called to respond to nine allegations of misconduct regarding his actions during the riot in 2005.

According to the attorney, Nurse was unable to stem a steady decline in indiscipline among inmates, and low morale amongst his staff, despite trying to introduce a number of measures intended to streamline weaknesses in the Barbados Prison Service.

"Even those who came here and favoured the superintendent, gave evidence of indiscipline and low morale. The superintendent did not take a grip on certain bad practices, and certain things should have been recognised," Durant concluded.

The attorney said many things could have been handled differently by Nurse during the riot, but that there was a complete breakdown of communication between the prison chief and his management team.

But Durant said he in no way wanted to prosecute any individuals, but the intention of the commission was to discern the full truth about what transpired before and during the riot at Glendairy. (BA)