COMMISSIONER of the Department of Correctional Services Charles Murphy.
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Tribune Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
COMMISSIONER of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services Charles Murphy said yesterday he has no reports of confirmed COVID-19 cases at the prison, as he hit out at concerns from correctional officers about their safety at the facility.
Mr Murphy also said correctional officers should not be speaking about the conditions at the prison outside of the proper authority and this could result in job loss.
This came after The Tribune was contacted by several correctional officers who raised fears of contracting the virus while at work. They said they were told that to come forward publicly would result in termination.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, these officers described the situation as a “crisis”, insisting their concerns - while reported to superiors - have fallen on deaf ears.
For the officers, reporting to work daily has become a “terrifying” task.
They have also questioned how social distancing is possible in a place where there is overcrowding.
Their concerns were sparked after they claimed two inmates were removed from a particular cell block and placed in quarantine, prompting suspicion from staff.
The officers said there is uncertainty and fear in the prison because the staff are still made to interact with the remaining inmates who were in close proximity to the two inmates before they were moved.
Responding to the claims, Commissioner Murphy said no one on his medical team has reported any inmate had tested positive for the virus.
“I don’t know who communicated to you or with you in reference to coronavirus in (the) prison but I am not aware of any corona in prison at this time and the officers that they are threatened — they are fully aware that anything that relates to (the) prison is supposed to be published by the official authority and they know their job will be threatened by the Correctional Act. Any information coming out of prison (is) supposed to be issued by the relevant authority,” he said.
When told the officers said their concerns had been ignored, Mr Murphy said there are some things The Tribune ought not to “take up”.
He told our reporter: “Ms Russell, Ms Russell, Ms Russell, you’re a journalist and there are some things that you ought to not take up.
“The point I’m making is this: corona is a global thing. If corona in prison you think the officers have to complain to their supervisors if corona in prison? The question is who told them corona was in prison and I, as the commissioner, no one has told me that corona is in prison at this time?
“… If you have a cold, that doesn’t mean you have the corona. If corona is in prison the commissioner is a responsible individual. Officers don’t have to publish that.
“When corona (was) first announced in The Bahamas, the commissioner was the first department to shut down operations and put all of the necessary protocols in the place and still in place now.”
Pressed further on the issue, the commissioner said it was “almost annoying” that he had been asked about whether the situation at the prison was under control.
“If corona was (in the) prison do you think the commissioner would not take the necessary steps? All of the necessary protocols were put in place the day when they announced that corona was in The Bahamas.
“What officers need to be concerned about is they themselves need to be following the protocols; wear their masks, sanitize their hands, social distancing that’s what they need to be concerned (about) rather than trying to get other persons to be concerned for them,” the prison commissioner said.
Back in April, inmates at BDCS claimed conditions at the facility were “desperate” as they feared not enough was being done to protect them from contracting COVID-19.
Apart from alleging expired and insufficient hand sanitizers were distributed to prisoners and that no supplies were passed out to allow proper cleaning, they said in a letter that BDCS was becoming increasingly dangerous as fights were allegedly breaking out over food because rations have been cut.
Commissioner Murphy said at the time that much of what was alleged in the letter was “baseless”. He outlined COVID-19 prevention measures that were implemented at the facility over a month before the claims were made.
Comments
Chucky 4 years, 2 months ago
Wish more prison staff would step up and tell us the truth of what’s going on inside the prison.
Take photos and put them online.
The commissioner sounds like he was trained by hitler.
Let’s expose the truth
moncurcool 4 years, 2 months ago
Could someone help me understand how prisoners who are in lockup can get the corona virus? Prisoners are not allowed to roam free in the community? So if a prisoner has it it means that they were given it by a prison officer who brought it into the prison.
Beyond that, the Commissioner is a plain idiot. To believe that in a free society the press cannot bring up certain things or question him on it. Guess he has been in the prison too long.
SP 4 years, 2 months ago
Just this man warning staff – "Don't Take Issues Public" should set off alarms and be reason enough that the prison is investigated.
One of the main problems in the Bahamas is festering corruption because of too many cover-ups in high places!
TalRussell 4 years, 2 months ago
It's not me myself saying but can you imagine was indeed the National Security Minister, the Honourable. Marvin H. who proudly announced that the appointment of Acting Prison Commish, Comrade Charles L., as Commish at the slop bucket Fox Hill Prison, takin effect, be's from 29th January 2019, and how was no rushed selection and only came about after Charles L., was picked following an exhaustive local and global search turned up nine qualified applicants, and em Charles L, was the number one five star pick for the post of the prison's new Commish. Is this not a genuine couldn't make this stuff up Shakehead of Once for Yeah, Twice for Not?
DDK 4 years, 2 months ago
"Mr Murphy also said correctional officers should not be speaking about the conditions at the prison outside of the proper authority and this could result in job loss."
WHAT IS THIS???? WOW! SUCH BLATANT CORRUPTION! FURTHER EVIDENCE OF THE COUNTRY'S DOWNWARD SLIDE.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
"I don’t know who communicated to you or with you in reference to coronavirus in (the) prison but I am not aware of any corona in prison at this time and the officers that they are threatened — they are fully aware that anything that relates to (the) prison is supposed to be published by the official authority and they know their job will be threatened by the Correctional Act. Any information coming out of prison (is) supposed to be issued by the relevant authority,” he said"
What is wrong with us? The default answer is always what problem, we don't have any problems. Everything is perfect. Why? Nobody would be surprised to hear of an outbreak at the prison. Noone is surprised that people are using slop buckets. Noone is surprised to hear of gang violence or rape. Nobody surprised. Tell the truth
BONEFISH 4 years, 2 months ago
The Bahamas is just a big cover-up country. Nothing bad is sensibly or honestly addressed. The situation at the prison is one of them. That is one of the reasons why this country is not progressing like it should.
Chucky 4 years, 2 months ago
Prison staff ; please take photos, and voice recordings and video of all the corrupt and criminal disgusting acts being perpetrated by the direction of Charles Murphy.
Expose this Guy to the public. Make him step down or be fired in shame.
The press should offer to pay money for video exposing government corruption.
mandela 4 years, 2 months ago
How disappointing. The commissioner of our PRISON ( BDCS ) sounds like a papa DOC, baby DOC, MUGABE, IDI "dada" AMIN, HITLER, he sounds like a DICTOR wanna be, POWER, oh how we get DRUNK on POWER, give me a litre of good liquor, Hennessey, grey goose and the likes, in the end, it's a better DRUNK.
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