Stories by MARIA BRADSHAW

SEVERAL PRISON OFFICERS who have been acting in senior positions, some for as long as ten years, are fearful they could revert to junior positions because of a lack of qualifications.

A spokesman told the WEEKEND NATION that officials from the Ministry of the Civil Service conducted interviews recently at the new prison in Dodds, St Philip, but a number of acting senior officers were not interviewed.

"They interviewed the junior officers who have been there for three and two years, and now we are hearing that they will be appointed in the various posts such as chief officer.

"We are very concerned about this because it would mean that a lot of men who have been acting for years would have to go back down to Prison Officers I and II," one officer said.

The officer added that even a warder who had received a triple promotion, but was still acting, could be affected by the changes.

But while Attorney-General Dale Marshall confirmed that interviews were conducted, he said the process had not been completed and he was not aware of any impending demotions.

Promotions due

"I am aware that some promotions are due in the prison system and that over the last few weeks interviews were conducted, but I am not certain that the process is completed nor have I seen recommendations for positions at this time," he said.

He said that there was a qualifications system at the prison for both entrance into the service and promotions.

However, the Attorney-General said he asked for the entry level qualifications to be relaxed from three CXCs to one in some cases because the prison was finding it difficult to attract people into the service.

Marshall said he had also advised those people to pursue additional qualifications in order to move up the ranks.

He also told the WEEKEND NATION rumours of widespread changes at the prison were not true.

"At this time I have not received a report from the commissioners [from the Glendairy Fire Inquiry] and I know they are working very hard to complete it.

It would be wrong to talk about making changes when nothing has come out of the inquiry yet. It may be possible to identify areas which were deficient but this talk about widespread changes is only engaging in a guessing game.

"As minister responsible, I can say that neither the permanent secretary nor the superintendent of prisons has come to me to say they want to make any changes."