WARDERS AT GLENDAIRY PRISONS had plenty to complain about regarding their boss, but continued to go beyond the call of duty, a senior prison officer told a Commission of Inquiry yesterday.

That's what Acting Assistant Chief Officer Cedric Moore told a Commission of Inquiry into the revolt on March 29 and 30 that left the prison destroyed by fire.

"They (the warders) had a lot of problems, and expressed their opinions to the senior staff, but they continued to function properly," Moore told the inquiry.

According to Moore, the complaints increased after Acting Superintendent of Prisons Lieutenant-Colonel John Nurse claimed a pattern of indiscriminate sick leave by prison officers had developed.

"The propensity for officers to report sick on certain days and certain times like Kadooment (Day) by certain officers had been noticed by the Superintendent," Moore testified.

He said it did affect morale and productivity, but warders continued to work hard under trying circumstances, the most noticeable of which was under-staffing.

According to Moore, the Superintendent had mentioned at senior level meetings that constant sick leave was putting those officers willing to work under severe stress.

Moore added that after speaking to warders on an individual basis, he had a good idea of their most serious concerns.

Top of that list was the chief's military style, and his habit of shouting at officers, and censoring them for shouting at inmates.

According to Moore, the warders also had a serious problem with Nurse's decision to have them remove their hat and belts when meeting with him in private.

He said he considered a complaint by the warders about being scanned at the front gate for contraband as a health risk as unjustified, since research had shown the security measure released no more radiation than an ordinary microwave oven.

The third in command at Glendairy before the revolt noted that random searches for drugs had limited success, since it appeared inmates were constantly being tipped off.

"The tip-offs would have had to come from officers," Moore said in response to a question from commission attorney Hal Gollop.