Acting Home Affairs Minister Randy Horton said the Government is getting to grips with the prison crisis which escalated at the weekend when an inmate attacked a prison officer.

The Prison Officers Association had complained violent attacks were escalating and that Government and prison bosses were giving no support.

The union also attacked prison bosses for sending officers to face a court trial for allegedly assaulting an inmate in a separate incident, but for doing nothing to put violent inmates in the dock.

Yesterday Mr. Horton said: "It is unfortunate that incidents in the Prison system over the weekend have again been used to make it appear the Government is standing by doing nothing.

"On the contrary, Government is ever-vigilant in its efforts to improve the situation in the Prisons and we intend to adopt the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry once the official report has been received from them."

He said the inquiry into the ills of the prison service had only ended 11 days ago on June 1.

"We are going to need a little more time than that to do all that needs to be done," said Mr. Horton, who revealed the inquiry's findings would be released by the end of the month.

"After all, the ills being suffered by the service did not begin in November, 1998. They have been many, many years in the making.

"During the last ten days, though, we believe we have managed to accomplish some things.

"Interviews are being conducted in our search for a person to fill the post of Commissioner of Prisons.

"Eight officers have been recruited and are currently undergoing medical examinations, etc. Further increases in staff are likely to ensue as a result of the Board of Inquiry.

"Procedures are being finalised to identify people in the Prison Service and outside it who might form a pool of individuals from which a future succession training plan can be implemented.

"A schedule of meetings with the Prison Officers Association has been established, to discuss the situation, and other matters of mutual interest. Every effort is being made to reduce the pressure of overcrowding in our facilities." He said Government was pressing ahead with its Alternatives to Incarceration programme and with efforts to integrate former prisoners back into society.

Mr. Horton said the officer attacked at the weekend was now being cared for by his family.

"I visited the officer at his home yesterday morning to express my concern and that of the Government for his well-being."

Mr. Horton said the officer had received his head injury not by being struck by the inmate, but after slipping and falling backwards during the incident, striking his head on the floor of the kitchen.

"The inmate involved is now in the Segregation Unit, and will be dealt with by the Treatment of Offenders Board."

However Opposition Home Affairs spokesman Michael Dunkley was far from satisfied.

He said: "The horse is out of the stable and the Government is trying to make clear it did its best to lock the door." He said it was significant that the Prison Officers Association had claimed the Government and the prison management were not paying attention to problems and now Government was saying it needed more time to deal with persistent problems. He said: "We readily admit they didn't arise in November 1998." He said the prison inquiry had dragged on for months which indicated the Government had put the issue on the backburner.

Mr. Dunkley also wondered why the Government was only now looking at successors to former Commissioner Edward Dyer when a succession plan should have been put in place long before he retired earlier this year.

The post is currently being filled by Acting Commissioner Edwin Wilson.

Mr. Horton said the prison management had met with the union on Monday but he had not seen a report.

Mr. Dunkley said: "It's taken so long to get there how can we feel confident those meetings will come out with a resolution?

"We all attend meetings -- you only get things done when you come out with a plan and commit to it." He said he welcomed new recruits but wondered how many others were leaving the service.

"The big picture is what type of training are they going to be afforded? The Prison Officers Association want a total revamp of the training programme."