Instead of sending prisoners abroad Government should make local prisons tougher, according to many people writing on The Royal Gazette's Facebook page.

Last week readers wrote to say they disagreed with the suggestion that sending prisoners abroad was one way of dealing with the spiralling level of gun violence on the Island. Instead, they suggested making Westgate tougher.

They were commenting after Cabinet revealed that sending convicts abroad was just one of the options Government is looking into to tackle the gun violence.

So far this year 14 people have been shot, three of whom have died. The Easter weekend saw four people shot including Kimwandae Walker who was murdered when two gunmen rode onto the Victor Scott playing field and shot him in front of his children.

Currently no discussion have taken place between the Government and US Consulate about transferring prisoners to US jails, although private security firms operating jails in the US are understood to accept foreign prisoners. The argument for the transfer is that it will cost less and overseas jails are perceived to be tougher than Westgate.

But readers appeared to be against the idea when they wrote comments on our Facebook site. Out of the 25 responses we had only a handful that were in favour.

Amy McHarg wrote: "Yes, let's ship our problems off to some place else rather then deal with them here... and what better place to send them but to prisons with 'real gangsters' so they can learn to be 'real gangsters' to only to come back and become a bigger problem. Then what will we do?"

Jason Shirley agreed with Ms McHarg's views: "Why waste more taxpayers' money to send them overseas when we simply could just take all the luxury items away, cable TV, their free time. [We could have] have inmates do actual hard labour and if [they] don't act accordingly punish them [with] more work.

"They are in there for a reason, not on a paid vacation."

Anthonette Simons believes that prisoners should be forced to do work, adding: "I have heard guys say I can't wait to go back, three squares, a roof, TV and training. This is prison.

"I don't believe we should go as far as the overseas prisons but yes toughen up. This isn't day care, and it needs to be mandatory that they have to do whatever counselling program [they were] sentenced [to do] before they come out. If that means a longer prison time so be it. Why assign counselling if it is not mandatory?"

Jefferson Sousa said it was a waste of taxpayers' dollars to send prisoners abroad.

"For years I have said get the prisoners to clean the railway trails, beaches etc," he wrote. "As it is now it's like going on holiday!

"We have gotten soft on crime and discipline on this Island. We need stronger discipline in our homes, schools and work places. And Momma's please stop babying your boys!

"Make Westgate tougher! It's a prison, not a nursery school."

Channing Seymour added that instead of sending prisoners abroad Government should look into sending guards to training facilities.

"No, the officers need to go away and learn some tough tacks then give them the rights to use what they have learnt," he wrote.

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