Tobago Correspondent
Tobago inmates housed in Trinidad say incarceration away from the island has left them isolated and disconnected from their families.
And relatives of a Tobago prisoner currently being held at the Maximum Security Prison (MSP) in Arouca are now appealing for swifter justice and more humane conditions for inmates awaiting trial.
“It have innocent people in there,” the inmate’s in-law said on condition of anonymity.
The appeal comes days after Acting Commissioner of Prisons Elvin Scanterbury visited the Tobago Convict Prison in Scarborough. The facility has been threatened by coastal erosion, and discussions are scheduled with Chief Secretary Farley Augustine on its future.
However, Prison Officers Association president Gerard Gordon believes authorities are not treating the issue with sufficient urgency. He is calling for the construction of a modern prison facility in Tobago to accommodate men, women and juvenile offenders.
According to Gordon, limited space in Tobago has resulted in many prisoners being detained in Trinidad. He said this places a significant burden on families, who must spend an entire day travelling, either by air or sea, to visit relatives.
He said the challenges have a direct impact on the frequency of family visits, which can undermine rehabilitation efforts.
Maintaining family connections, Gordon added, is critical to helping inmates reintegrate into society after their release.
The Tobago inmate, who is on trial for murder, spoke to Guardian Media through a third party and maintained his innocence. He said repeated delays in the court process have caused him growing frustration.
He said the capital charge has resulted in significant financial, emotional and psychological strain.
The inmate added that being separated from his family has worsened the situation. He said close relatives have not visited him for almost two years after a previous trip to MSP ended with thieves breaking into their Tobago home and stealing several items.
He believes criminals may be collaborating with inmates to obtain information about family visits.
As a result, he said, he instructed relatives to stop visiting him, a decision that has placed further strain on his marriage.
The inmate also alleged that he has been extorted and robbed while behind bars.
According to him, new inmates are pressured to purchase a carton of cigarettes as part of an informal prison integration process. He claimed he paid about $1,000 but did not receive what he was promised.
His relatives also alleged that threats were made against his life. They said a family member was contacted by someone who demanded thousands of dollars, claiming the inmate would be killed in prison if the money was not paid.
Fearing for his safety, the family agreed to make the payment.
Relatives said the ordeal has taken a toll on the inmate’s elderly mother, who has reportedly been using her pension to cover his legal fees and repay a loan he took out before his incarceration.
Contacted about the allegations, Acting Commissioner of Prisons Elvin Scanterbury said he was unfamiliar with the specific case. However, he noted that the Prisons Service Welfare Department makes special arrangements to assist relatives of Tobagonian inmates housed in Trinidad.
“We understand the challenges to catch flights back to go back to Tobago,” he said.
Scanterbury encouraged relatives to contact the department before visiting to avoid extended periods away from home.
Criminologist: Offshore prison colony fuelling crime
Criminologist Darius Figuera has called for a complete overhaul of Tobago’s prison system, describing it as an “offshore prison colony.”
“One of the most backward and dilapidated arms of national security in Tobago is the prison system. It is still a colonial hand-me-down. The level of criminality in Tobago then did not merit the creation of a prison system in Tobago that would enable Tobago to cope with what happened since then.”
Figuera agreed with Gordon that rehabilitation efforts are being undermined by housing Tobago inmates in Trinidad.
“You are committing crimes in Tobago, you have to face justice in Tobago, your roots are in Tobago, but you end up in Trinidad.
“How can you be rehabilitated offshore Tobago but then fit back in Tobago when you are released?”
He also believes interaction between Tobago inmates and more seasoned Trinidad offenders has contributed to the evolution of crime on the island.
“You cannot have Trinidad being an offshore prison colony of Tobago.
“What is needed now is a complete overhaul of the Tobago prison system. You are exposing people who never had any knowledge or familiarity with Trinidad criminality, so when they return to Tobago society, they are coming now with their master’s in criminality.”
Figuera argued that greater separation was necessary, noting that crimes such as home invasions, once rare in Tobago, have become increasingly common.
Senior Superintendent Rodhill Kirk, who was also contacted on the matter, told Guardian Media he had no knowledge of the alleged break-in at a family’s home while they were visiting an inmate in Trinidad.
Attempts to obtain a comment from Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander were unsuccessful up to publication.
