I wish to respond to a video clip in wide circulation which irresponsibly and erroneously alleges a cover up at the prison in relation to an individual caught attempting to bring contraband into the prison and associating the incident with the National Peace Program.
The actual facts are: The Barbados Prison Service was in receipt of creditable information that a named individual intended to introduce contraband into the Dodds Prison.
On his arrival to the prison, the individual was kept under observation as he proceeded to the main check point where he, along with his possessions were searched by an officer and two (2) flash drives were found concealed in a small compartment of his bag.
He was interviewed by the Superintendent of Prisons (ag.) and The Barbados Police Service was informed of the incident. The individual was subsequently handed over to the Police and escorted off the prison compound.
The individual at the time was part of an organised volunteer rehabilitation programme in film techniques. The Prison facilitates diverse training programmes designed to create marketable skill sets for the inmates to assist with their reintegration into society upon release.
This particular programme is in no way associated with the National Peace Program, which falls under the auspices of the Honourable Minister Corey Lane and administered through the Office of the Attorney General.
The individual was released without charge by The Barbados Police Service, which determined that though unauthorized, the items did not pose a threat to the security of the Prison.
The Prison is a national security institution and for security reasons is not in the habit of reporting the success of its security procedures and operations in the press or to the public.
Contrary to what is being alleged by certain misinformed persons in the video clip there was no coverup of the incident.
Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams