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Former UK prison chief to review Dept of Corrections

Former HMS Director General Phil Wheatley.

The former head of the British prison service will review Bermuda's Department of Corrections in response to serious concerns raised by prison officers.Minister of Justice Kim Wilson announced the move in a joint statement with Craig Clarke, the head of the Prison Officers Association, resulting from a meeting between them this week.On April 24, Mr Clarke warned it is just a matter of time before there is all-out anarchy at Westgate, Bermuda's only maximum security prison. He suggested Commissioner of Prisons Edward Lamb “may not be the right man” for the job.He warned that officers face dangerous situations on a daily basis and are discovering illegal drugs, cash and cellphones inside the prison walls. Calling for a full-scale review, he said a new wave of inmates with gang affiliations means “it is becoming increasingly alarming to maintain this inmate population in a sterile, safe environment”.Answering that call, Sen Wilson said: “Following the meeting with Mr Clarke earlier this week, I can confirm the Government's commitment to commission an independent and comprehensive review of the Department of Corrections and that former HMS Director General Phil Wheatley will be conducting the review.“Mr Wheatley has a wealth of experience, having performed reviews of the prison service in Northern Ireland, Barbados and the Ukraine recently. I also note that he came up from the ranks from prison officer to Governor of Hull Prison.”She said Mr Wheatley will work alongside Government's Management Services “to conduct a holistic review of the Department of Corrections with the aim of producing a five-year strategic plan to assess, clarify and direct the department mandate with respect to all aspects of policy, leadership, management, operations, infrastructure and legislative reform.”She added that Mr Wheatley, who also served as Director General of the National Offender Management Service in Britain, “masterminded the first ever effective performance management system (in) the prison service and delivered significantly improved outcomes from security to human rights,” she said.Sen Wilson said she informed the Prison Officers Association about other measures to address their concerns, and the vast majority have already been introduced.“In particular, fencing around maximum security units has been completed and a new CCTV system has been installed at the Co-Ed Facility,” she said. “In addition, the Commissioner of Corrections has established a Security Review Committee within the Department of Corrections to review the security of all three facilities and make recommendations to ensure the future operation of these facilities are safe for all staff and a secure environment to house inmates.”