Retired Judge, Human Rights Expert and Fmr. Prison Director named to Camp Jail unrest COI

At a Friday afternoon press conference, Public Service Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan announced that the Commission will begin its work within days and its first report should be submitted by the middle of this month.

Retired Judge, Human Rights Expert and Fmr. Prison Director named to Camp Jail unrest COI

Retired Judge, James Patterson, Human Rights Expert, Merle Mendonca and former Director of the Guyana Prison Service, Dale Erskine have been named to serve on the Commission of Inquiry into the unrest at the Georgetown, Camp Street prison which resulted in the fiery deaths of 17 inmates.

Justice Patterson will serve as the Chairman of the Commission.

At a Friday afternoon press conference, Public Service Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan announced that the Commission will begin its work within days and its first report should be submitted by the middle of this month.

According to Ramjatttan, the Commission will look into all the causes, circumstances and conditions that led to the death of the 17 prisoners and the unrest that came before and after the deaths. It will also examine injuries sustained by other prisoners and prison officers.

The dead prisoners have been identified as Kirk Clarke, Sherwin Trotman, Latchman Partap, Aaron Eastman, Randolph Marques, Hilary Amos, Rohan Teekaram, Anthony Primo, Rayon Paddy, Clifton Joseph, Delroy Williams, Jermain Otto, Shaka McKenzie, Andrew Philander, Chetram Dwarandat, Asraf Mohamed and Richard Hubbard.

Sixteen of the prisoners died at the Camp Street jail while one was pronounced dead at the Georgetown Hospital after being rushed there with burns to over 90% of his body.

All of those who died in the Camp Street jail appeared to have been burnt to death.

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As part of its terms of reference, the Commission has been asked to find out whether negligence, abandonment of duty, disregard for instructions or inaction of the prison officers may have led to the unrests and the deaths.

Earlier on Friday, Minister Ramjattan announced that he hopes as many prisoners will appear before the Commission and offer testimony and gave statements.

Meanwhile, he also announced that several immediate steps have been taken to address some of the concerns and demands of prisoners following a meeting between a group of the prisoners and Ramjattan himself along with State Minister Joe Harmon.

A decision has been made to send the Deputy Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels on six weeks leave. Mr. Ramjattan was clear to point out that the decision to ask Mr. Samuels to proceed on leave, should not be seen as any indictment on him, but with prisoners filing several complaints against him in the aftermath of the deaths and the unrests, the government feels it best that he should take up leave that is owed to him.

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The Public Security Minister has also announced that immediately the number of calls that prisoners are allowed to make to their families will be increased from two per week to three per week at this stage. As additional phone lines are eventually added, those phone calls could increase to as many as five per week.  All of the calls will be monitored by prison officials.

Additionally, improved food preparation and on time delivery will be addressed immediately. Other concerns will also be addressed, Ramjattan assured.

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