Greetings Colleagues,
Attached, for your convenience, is the update delivered by the Commissioner of Corrections at today’s joint press conference that was held by the Ministries of Health and National Security. It provides the most current information regarding the situation at Her Majesty’s Prison in relation to the COVID-19 virus.
It is important to note that over the last four weeks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Osmond Petty, and the National Security Advisor, Major General (Ret.) Stewart Saunders, have been holding regular meetings with Commissioner of Corrections Terrance James and his management team from Her Majesty’s Prison. At these meetings, they have been discussing: 1) plans to prevent an outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in the Prison; and 2) what actions should be taken in the event that one does occur.
This morning (Thursday, June 17), given the additional positive cases that were recorded in the Prison, Mr. Petty chaired an emergency meeting to discuss the situation and to determine what measures were to be taken to deal with the outbreak. Present at the meeting were the Minister of Health, the Honourable Akilah Byron-Nisbett, Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Hazel Laws, National Security Adviser, Major General (Ret.) Stewart Saunders, Chair of the National COVID-19 Task Force, Abdias Samuel, as well as Commissioner of Corrections Terrane James and other senior officials from Her Majesty’s Prison. At that meeting, they were able to identify suitable arrangements for the isolation of the increased number of residents at the Prison who have tested positive and also considered measures to address any further occurrence or additional positive cases.
Warmest regards,
Jacqueline I. Bryan
Public Relations Officer
Ministry of National Security
Royal St. Christopher and Nevis
Police Headquarters
Lozac Road
Basseterre
St. Kitts & Nevis