St Lucia’s BCF offers sympathy to Guyana Prison Service after riot

The Bordelais Correctional Facility (BCF) in St Lucia has expressed sympathy with its counterparts in the Guyana Prison Service after one of its officers in a riot on July 9.

The Camp Street Prison in the capital city, Georgetown, which housed just over 1,000 prisoners, was destroyed by fire during a riot that was allegedly masterminded by a death-row inmate who escaped with at least seven others.

Wickham may have been getting ready to end his Sunday shift when gunshots got his attention in the jailhouse.

As he rushed in to assist other officers under attack, he was shot multiple times to the chest, as five prisoners bolted from the facility, while others set fire to the wooden buildings that made up the prison.

Prison officer Odinga Wickham was fatally shot during the riot. A number of other officers and prisoners were injured.

Kerwin Albert, communications officer for BCF, told St Lucia News Online that the management and staff of BCF “sympathises with our brother fraternity, Guyana Prision Service, with the death of it’s colleague”.

“We are saddened about this unfortunate situation,” Albert said.

The communications officer said the BCF did riot training with their Guyanese counterparts in 2005, along with other Caribbean countries.

“We know that they will rise above the ashes and the will rebuild a better facility. We do remember them in our prayers,” he added.

Original source: St Lucia News Online