Defence attorney Verla De Peiza has described the situation of having one bus transporting prisoners around the island as “a ridiculous state of affairs”.
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Her comments came after she was awaiting the arrival of a prisoner on Monday, who had a matter in the Oistins Magistrates’ Court.
De Peiza had been seated at the Bar table for some time. Around 10:45 a.m. she queried – through the court – whether prisoners would be attending that day.
The court subsequently heard that there was only one bus operating and after leaving Dodds Prison in St Philip to take prisoners to the District “A” Magistrates’ Court in Bridgetown, the same bus had to return to Dodds to collect additional prisoners, before dropping them off at the various other courts around the island.
Speaking to the Weekend Nation after court ended, De Peiza described it as “an untenable situation”.
“It is a matter of misplaced priorities that the prison is not only without buses, but clearly has fallen short in its rehabilitation programme – if there is any – as there is no mechanics or other repair shop on site,” she stated.
She suggested that “under tutelage, there should be relevant courses of study for inmates, just like there are CXC classes and farming”, so the buses could be repaired by inmates at the prison.
Next week
The attorney added that “hopefully it is all rectified by next week when the Assizes resume and the demand for transportation is greater”.
Responding to a query on Tuesday, convenor of the Criminal Law Committee and the Magistrates’ Court Committee, attorney Lesley Cargill-Straker, said that although the Barbados Prison Service has “prioritised getting the prisoners down” and “it is not something that has happened often”, there have been times over the last few months – particularly at the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Courts, where attorneys have heard that “persons are not coming down today”.
She added: “That leads to lawyers being assigned new dates for the matters, as well as causing concern to prisoners who are either told, or realise on their own, they have not been taken to court on the last adjournment date given. This means that attorneys then have to call the prison so their clients can be notified of their next court date.” (SD)