Deeply concerned! Governor calls NSC meeting about prison stabbing
This story has been updated
In light of yesterday’s prison fallout that resulted in the death of one inmate and the injury of others, Governor John Rankin has called a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC).
The meeting is scheduled for this afternoon, May 31; at which time the NSC will “review the incident and agree [on] next steps”.
The governor — who shares joint responsibility for the prison with Social Development Minister Carvin Malone — announced the meeting in a brief statement on Monday morning.
“I am deeply concerned about the events at Her Majesty’s Prison on Sunday evening that sadly resulted in a loss of life. My sincere condolences go to the family and friends of the deceased. The safety and security of the prison inmates, all staff and officers are an absolute priority,” Governor Rankin stated.
The stabbing and the NSC meeting have both come following the departure of Premier Andrew Fahie who is is away from the territory on personal leave. Deputy Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley is Acting Premier effective Friday, May 28 to Wednesday, June 9 when Fahie returns. Both Premier Fahie and Governor Rankin jointly chair the NSC.
Meanwhile, a total of four inmates were stabbed in what Malone said was a violent altercation among several persons incarcerated at the facility.
Three of the four inmates sustained serious stab wounds and were taken to the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital where one of the stab victims — Nickhail Chambers — subsequently died. Chambers is a Jamaican who was serving time at the prison for his one-man role in the attempted murder of his former schoolmate back in 2017.
Two persons in custody
The prison incident happened around 6:30 pm.
“I have been informed by the Acting Superintendent of Prisons, Mr Royston Percival that all prisoners have been confined to their cells while the matter is being investigated by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).
In an update this afternoon, the RVIPF said two men have been arrested but no charges have yet been laid. This follows Malone’s previous statement that one person had been formally charged.
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after the fact
The way the *** does go around with his puff chest behaving like he’s the best thing up there, you would think everything fine and dandy up there cause he’s in charge for now
The UK authorities should come in and deal with that “HOTEL”….
People like you make me SICK! You always feel the UK are better than everyone else while in the UK they are in shambles round and round. The slave mentality is still alive in persons like you. SMDH.
If UK was there would that prevent inmates from going after each other. A prison is a prison, prisoners kill each other given the opportunity all over the world especially UK, go read ayo news.
If the uk was rumning it all the bulls**t that goes on up would not be knife ,drugs killer that act up straight uk
The UK is the saviour for everything, nuh? Leave the racist UK out of our business.
All the wrong in the prison did not just start. The last Head of the prison needs to be held partially accountable.
Superintendent Guard was the best thing that happened to HMP. That incident would have never happened under his watch. He had experience and humbleness. Don’t mind the noise, review the records!
So whose Watch did this incident occurred under?
Here is my suggestion.. Contract out the Prison Safety and security to a private contractor / Privte security company with qualified personel with some sought of military bck ground…It will be better…It worth a try.. What we have now aint working..
Bring back Verne Guard
This will once again be used as the reason the Brits will try to come in and pretend as if they are our saviors when in fact they helped create the mess.
Governor Please Take the Wheel from this Government the Jail is being run like a Hotel,Jewelry Store,Rum Shop,Sneaker and Clothes Store..The Country have no Leadership we were Sold out to the Prisoners ask Barry.
THE WHOLE PRISON NEED TO BE CLEANED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM INCLUDING STAFF MEMBERS THAT SIMOLY NEED TO BE RELIEVED FROM SERVICE. SO MANY CHILDREN WERE CONCEIVED IN PRISON BY FEMALE OFFICERS AND MALE INMATES. THEN THEY GO HOME AND TELL THEIR SPOUSE THEY ARE PREGNANT KNOWING THE CHILD DOES NOT BELONG TO THE SPOUSE.
Send them to uk
THEY NEED TO BE CHAINED TOGETHER AND GIVEN JARD LABOUR / LIKE CUTTING BUSH ALONG THE ROAD SIDE AND CLEANING THE GABBAGE / AND THOSE WHO COMMIT MURDER TAKE THEM OUT TO SEA AND FEED THEM TO THE SHARKS
Bring back the death penalty….we rather to be free in some way …this is a life sentence much worst than a moment of pain
Where the cameras? We really a 4th world country
It hurts me to say this about my fellow citizens but BVI people are so one sided and are spineless. All these so called freedom fighters and defenders against corruption and bad governance when it suits their narrative but let’s take a look at the other elephant in the room.
The Governor is in charge of the police and prisons. Over the last few years we have had prisoners committing crimes while in prison at an alarming rate. Weed, weapons and cellphones are plentiful in the jail as if Amazon does deliveries to Balsam. No outrage from the those internet celebrities. We have police men committing crimes, police even deported for having sex with minors, stealing contraband, trafficking drugs to the point that not even the new police chief trust us to report crimes to them and no outrage from the internet celebrities. If members of government were charged, remanded and even sentenced to jail for these stuff we would be blasting the Premier because its under his watch.
There were no proper leadership or guidelines for the prisons during disasters as was evidenced in 2017 when murderers, rapist, pedophiles and thieves being allowed to leave the prison and add to the looting and even killing innocent civilians. There has been no investigations launched by the Governor to investigate how and why there are so many deficiencies under his portfolio. The Governor gets a free pass while everybody else get the blame.
You should be deeply concerned…you need to get CCTV cameras up in the prisons…and you need to allow them to be backed up and controlled from outside the prison authorities otherwise we going have many Epstein incidents.