Acting Prisons Commissioner Gerard Wilson made an alarming revelation during a "Conversations with the Commissioner" session which was streamed live on Facebook on Wednesday. He said the layout of prison dorms makes it difficult to detect all of the contraband items that are smuggled into prison.
This is one of the many loopholes in the prisons system which are being exploited by inmates and some corrupt officers, keeping the scourge of trafficking and illegal use of cellphones alive behind bars. It is no wonder that prisoners are able, with relative ease, to order the assassinations of prison officers.
Given this dangerous situation, the question of long-promised upgrades to prison facilities across the country must be put back on the front burner. Surveillance of inmates' accommodations must be urgently improved and many of the conditions that contribute to violence inside and outside prison walls, such as overcrowding, must be addressed.
There was a recommendation made some years ago for more single cell accommodation and separation of hardened criminals from first-time offenders and younger inmates.
Zero tolerance for prison officers involved in smuggling and other illicit activities and a tougher approach to cases of professional misconduct are other deterrents that should be considered.
More accessibility needed
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Education shared the heart-warming story of teaching staff at the Malick Secondary School who, with support from the Massy Foundation and the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB), are making the school compound more accessible for their colleague, Natasha Lewis, who uses a wheelchair.
There are many remarkable and inspiring aspects of this story, not the least of which is Ms Lewis who did not allow her disability—she was born with cerebral palsy—to hinder her development into a qualified and capable educator.
But this story should serve as much more than an example of the care and goodwill that is celebrated at this time of the year. There is also that much-overlooked issue of making more facilities across the country accessible to people who use wheelchairs, as well as for the blind and hearing impaired. Some work has been done but not nearly enough.
The Ministry of Education, for one, might want to look at the layout in schools across the country and find ways to improve those facilities for easier access by differently-abled students and teachers.
Still too many road deaths
One of the more positive developments of late is the reduction in road traffic fatalities—down by eight per cent for this year so far—continuing a trend in recent years. Still, the 102 people who have lost their lives on the roads are 102 too many.