A widely-anticipated report on January’s deadly prison break is being kept under wraps.
The report, overseen by Fox Hill Prison Superintendent Elliston Rahming will not be released in the near future, a top Ministry of National Security official has announced.
The decision comes on the heels of a recent visit to Her Majesty’s Prison by Prime Minister Perry Christie, during which he stated, “There is no reason why the government ought not to publish [the report].” It might even be presented in parliament when the House of Assembly resumes on Sept. 27, Mr Christie said at the time.
However, Mark Wilson, permanent secretary for the Ministry of National Security told the Guardian yesterday that releasing the report now could prejudice any future court cases arising from the Jan. 17 prison break.
“The problem with that is the Coroner’s Inquest Jury recommended that there ought to be some charges brought against certain persons involved in incidents surrounding the outbreak,” said Mr Wilson. “Now the problem about releasing associated information is that it might have some effect on the decisions made by the Attorney General as to what actions might be taken in response to the Coroner’s recommendation.”
Therefore, the Ministry has declined to release details on the report, the National Security official said.
“Generally speaking we have had to lie low on that report until such time as we have a clearer indication from the Attorney General’s office and where that office proposes to go,” he explained.
“I can confirm that we have both the report from the police as well as the report from the Superintendent [Elliston Rahming],” he continued. “But we don’t feel that it is appropriate at this time either to put that information into the public domain or to take any action on that information until such as we know what the position of the Attorney General is.”
Her Majesty’s Prison has been embroiled in a web of controversy since mid-January. On Jan. 23, six days following the prison break, a five-member Court of Inquiry appointed by Dr Rahming, began compiling the report.
Less than a month later, on Feb. 27, Dr Rahming announced that the investigations were complete and the findings were forwarded to the Ministry of National Security.
The internal 36-page report was said to give a thorough account of the Jan. 17 prison break, during which four inmates escaped their cells.
In a so-far unofficially explained sequence of events, 38-year-old Corporal Dion Bowles was stabbed to death and prisoner Neil Brown was shot dead. Two inmates were immediately recaptured, with the fourth prisoner being caught two weeks later.
A street poll conducted by The Guardian two weeks ago, found that an overwhelming number of people wanted the report to be made public.
Most fully supported Prime Minister Christie’s view that the report on the prison break should be released.
By: JASMIN BONIMY, The Nassau Guardian
