BVI News

Prison understaffed, locals difficult to recruit – Superintendent Guy Hill

BVI News photograph of a prison officer.

Recently appointed Superintendent at Her Majesty’s Prisons, Guy Hill, has disclosed that the institution is understaffed and said that it was difficult to recruit locals to fill existing vacancies at the Balsum Ghut facility.

Hill, who appeared before the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) during budget deliberations late last year, told officials that there were 84 staff members performing duties at the prison.

He also disclosed that there were 116 inmates housed at the facility at that time and noted that the capacity at the prison is for one hundred and forty prisoners. The SFC was also told that six of the prisoners are females.

Hill told the SFC there were more than 50 prisoners on remand at HMP at that time. He added that those prisoners’ remand time ranged from six months to three years.

According to Hill, the prison needs a lot of help as it relates to staffing, infrastructure, rehabilitation. He further said he needed to recruit personnel who are actually interested in having a career at the institution.

Prison infrastructure in bad shape

The HMP’s Superintendent who entered the post in July last year, further related that the infrastructure at the facility was in ‘bad shape’ and needed urgent attention.

And despite Second District Representative, Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull’s assertion that remedial works were to be carried out at the prisons, the Superintendent stated that most of the perimeter fence was only patched and needed work.

Turnbull also noted that contracts had been issued to address a leaking roof issue.

BVI News reported last year that a former inmate alleged that selected inmates were routinely allowed to leave and return to the facility at the discretion of complicit officers.

He told this news site that prisoners sometimes use visits to the prison’s farm as an opportunity to leave custody. 

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38 Comments

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  1. Paycheck says:

    The pay is HORRIBLE for all the work to be done!

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  2. Hm says:

    No doubt…. See the thing is a lot of locals don’t want to fill those posts but have an issue with too much outsiders… They want it to be a free for all.. Do what thou wilt, how thou wilt and when thou wilt..No one wants to be affiliated with ‘12’…

    Time to bring in those UK ‘typical’ officers then they will be happy because they aren’t from up or down island… Literally no island man just continentals ?… Its time the prison operates like one….

    Like 24
    Dislike 6
    • dumbo says:

      Since when has the UK not been an island? Idiot.

      Like 4
      Dislike 1
    • Truth says:

      Do you guys know how foolish you all sound talking about bring UK police, prison guards. Have you lived in the UK and witness how they handle simple crimes etc? trust me you would be so surprised.
      It’s time for black people to start believing in their our people, build up their own. Stop this slavish mentality, believing that the whites knows everything and they are the best solution for every problem. Wake up and wise up black people!

      Like 2
      Dislike 1
      • Allamagoosa says:

        In this case, blacks know enough to know that they know nothing. This is where good black leaders should should step in.

        What is the black prison boss doing to make the prison efficient? He has 84 staff for 116 inmates, and he still talking about recruiting staff? He should be talking about cutting staff and raising the salaries for those that remain and are willing to work.

        Like 6
        Dislike 3
      • Wisdom says:

        When you recruit the locals with a passion to make a change. They get shut down by the corruption and the minister’s that just talk about wanting to make a change but no action behind it. Every 2-4 years a new Superintendent comes with a different idea for the prison. At the end of their term they have nothing to show for the tears they have been up there. Vern Garde came and and collected all the YES Men to do his bidding then left the mess for someone else to clean up. It’s a revolving door, someone (the ministry) needs to make a plan and stick to it.

  3. Hiccup says:

    Interesting! Are the prisoners allowed to visit the farm unsupervised? If that’s the case, then they are “allowed to leave the prison.”

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  4. Cxxf says:

    BvI landers pure crooks. Well… Most of them. You can hate if you want but you know it’s the truth.

    There will come a day when history will be revealed and truth will be judged.

    Like 15
    Dislike 5
  5. Wow says:

    So yet another department in government under staffed, Wheatley can’t fill government post, but he hurting the private sector. So what is really going on.

    Like 17
    Dislike 1
  6. Styles. says:

    Locals don’t want positions. Yet labor is delaying work permits…

    How is that protecting the locals?

    Like 20
    Dislike 2
  7. Wow says:

    This is absolutely shameful! What is the use of having SFC every single year? We hear the same stories of underfunded, understaffed, underperforming. Every. Single. Year! Same stories but somehow we manage to spend over $300mil annually. HOW??????????????????????? Further how can all these government agencies be crying about being understaffed and Hon. Wheatley is talking about locals on the corner needing jobs hence wilful delays for work permit processing. Is the Government basically saying that they don’t want the locals off the corners but the private sector should deal with them? Sure seems like it and this is coming from a local! Every year, same stories, same nonsense, no change. The head of the Prison has blatantly admitted that prisoners sometimes leave when they are on farm break. What the f**k!

    Like 19
    • Deh Watcha says:

      The answer is simple. There is nothing that the government can do at that prison that will make them look good come next election.

      That’s all they care about. As you said every year it’s the same stories at SFC.

      Top to bottom, bottom to top, waste of time.

  8. Eat The Cake says:

    They want to have the cake and eat it. Are they advertising. No. When last you see an AD for prison officers. Advertise the jobs. Do you see Labour advertising the jobs they have. No. But when I advertise for my jobs, they are telling me who I should employ.

    Like 15
  9. Memo to Minister of Labor says:

    Locals need @ local prison. No work permits needed. Get to it, and make certain locals get the positions you want them to have.

    Like 5
    Dislike 2
  10. Understaffed says:

    84 staff to handle 116 prisoners? Should each prisoner get their own staffmember?

  11. Crystal says:

    Understaffed
    Remember each 24hr period is made up of three 8hr shifts per day.

  12. Norris Turnbull. says:

    One thing with Mr.Hill he will tell you the straight up truth. God bless him.

  13. Eat a food vip government says:

    These locals do not care about locals one bit, pay the locals better if you want to retain their service and keep the money in the local economy, same foolishness in the police force, pay the locals a decent liveable wage so we don’t have to hire so many expats.

    Like 2
    Dislike 1
  14. Hm says:

    Lol I knew their would be atleast one person who would pivk at that lmfao made my night I was right..… let me break where i was coming from down for you tho…I know its an island but you hear some calling bring in the UK this and that when Caribbean islanders aka island people are mentioned as officers…when they and their motherland are literal islands!!!…So I share their sentiments get rid of the islund man ? and bring in the ‘typical wypipo’ who apparently won’t be islund people… It seems as if some didn’t realise that… So no bozo i’m completely aware….sorry to all those who thought it was a continent?… but ahhh …so that means you agree with the post as that was your only point? Hmm Einstein?

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  15. Simple Solution... says:

    You have lots of good X cop still strong and agile looking for something to do, recruit some of them..

  16. Crazy says:

    Who will want to work at the prison when theirs 30 plus male inmates sick with covid no gloves n Lysol etc provided

  17. Anonymous says:

    The Governor is in charge of the prisons. This one isnt in the hands of the local Government.

  18. Riddick says:

    @ Anonymous…Really@!!!!!

  19. Jah Know says:

    Fix the prison, inforce law and order, make them wear prison clothing and improve security measures so that guards can feel safe and make it hard for inmates to bribe the guards then you’ll get locals to work. Up there is a free for all hotel. Not even as a visitor I want to go there.

  20. Expatriate says:

    What is the criteria for been a warder at her majesties prison

  21. Norris Turnbull says:

    Jah know you sound stupid. Up there aint no dam hotel. Go slend a weekend then.

  22. Strupesssss says:

    @ Jah know
    You sound so stupid wearing prison clothes won’t change a damn thing.. at the end of the day it’s still the same inmate with the same attitude… government already don’t have no money to feed them

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