Lead Editor, Investigative Desk
The hit list that the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) alluded to almost three weeks ago was found by prison officers during a routine alarm test at the Remand Yard, Golden Grove Prison, in Arouca, last Friday.
Sources told Guardian Media that the list was found in the upper north wing of the facility in the corridor.
Guardian Media exclusively obtained the crudely handed written list on a plain piece of paper with the title in red ink stating, “Hit List 2022.”
At the top of the list were prison officers Trevor Serrette and Nigel Jones.
And next to their names written in red was the word “dead.”
Jones and Serrette were both shot and killed by gunmen days apart in November sparking fresh concerns by prison officers about their safety.
Jones was shot dead at a taxi stand in Siparia on November 30 while Serrette was shot and killed at his fruit and vegetable stall in Valencia two Fridays before Serrette’s killing.
There were also the names of eleven other officers on the list and next to one of the names in red was the word “miss”, suggesting they had made an unsuccessful attempt on that prison officer’s life.
A senior prison source confirmed that an attempt had been made on that particular colleague’s life recently.
In fact, the unsuccessful attempt made on the prisons officer in question was also confirmed by the prison officer himself when he indicated in a prison officer’s WhatsApp group that he saw the list and next to his name they had the word “miss.”
Two other prison sources, who had spoken to Guardian Media, who exclusively reported about the MSP attempted jail break being foiled two Sundays ago, said that apart from these 13 officers being “soft targets” not all of them actually worked at the Wayne Jackson Building.
“From the list, I have seen that you also have in possession at least five of those officers who work in other prisons. But regardless this is very troubling,” one of the sources said.
Prisons Commissioner Dennis Pulchan confirmed to Guardian Media the discovery of the list that was found and said, “There have been several handwritten lists of names of officers being found(including the one referenced by Guardian Media), a scan of the list suggest a mischievous intent with a view to spreading fear amongst officers. Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service will not be deterred by fear in providing this valuable service to the Trinidad and Tobago society. Prison officers are professionals ad we stand by our oath to crime reduction through the maintenance of security.”
Pulchan said that since the discovery of the lists there is an “ongoing investigation.”
The trigger for the violent acts against the prison officers stemmed from a long-standing discontent by the 95 high-risk inmates now being housed at the Maximum Security Prison(MSP) Wayne Jackson Building (formerly known as Building 13).
For months they have alleged unfair and brutal treatment by the prison officers manning the building.
But it turned out that may not have been the only reason for the prisoner’s discontent after prison officers during a routine search in late November averted a possible escape when they found holes in the walls of several of the cells in the upper section of the Wayne Jackson Building.
The holes were interconnected to each cell senior prison sources had informed Guardian Media and were large enough for prisoners to fit through and move from cell to cell.
The holes had been plastered over with pictures and newspapers.
