Recruits to the Barbados Prison Service have been warned not to have inappropriate relationships with inmates.
The caution came from Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams during a graduation ceremony yesterday at Dodds Prison in St Philip for 13 recruits. He told them to remember inmates were not their friends.
“You must never, ever be confused as to your obligations, your duty or your loyalty. The inmates are not your friends and must never be your friends while they are your responsibility. You should be compassionate, empathetic when called upon to be so, accommodating when necessary but uncompromising at all times.
“Don’t get ‘tie-up’ about your role in respect to inmates. Inappropriate behaviour, inappropriate relations and inappropriate associations will not be tolerated,” he declared.
This was reinforced by Superintendent of Prisons DeCarlo Payne in an interview after the ceremony. (CA)