Beautiful Virgin Islands


Top Cop recommends moving life-serving prisoners out of VI

Top Cop recommends moving life-serving prisoners out of VI

Commissioner of Police at the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) Mr Mark Collins said as part of his new tenure, an immediate review of Her Majesty's Prison (HMP) in Balsam Ghut, Tortola, has been recommended.

The Commissioner made the announcements during an address to members of the Rotary Club of Tortola on July 8, 2021.

During a video presentation, Mr Collins said, “As part of National Security Council we recommended an immediate review of the prison and also a longer-term review of what's going on there because, clearly, things aren't right,” he said.

While Mr Collins did not go into the details about what specific factors led to the recommendation, he hinted that coming of the review could be radical new policies.

“Just to give you a flavour of some of the things I'm thinking about are… you know when we've got life-serving prisoners do they need to be held on the island?” he questioned.

“Can we not move them to other islands other jurisdictions and have a sort of reciprocal arrangement?,” the Commissioner said.

Under the constitutional watch of the Governor, the prison has had several stabbings, prison breaks and murder.

Following the hurricanes of 2017, prisoners, including those in for murder, were on the loose and no one has yet been held culpable.

In May 2021, a fatal stabbing rocked the confined walls of the prison. The victim was Jamaica national Nickail Chambers, 29. Several persons were injured in the incident.

Meanwhile, after nearly 8 years a local, Guy M. Hill, was this month appointed Superintendent of Prisons.

Commissioner Marc Collins made the announcements during an address to members of the Rotary Club of Tortola on July 8, 2021.


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