The heavy downpour of rain consistently over Thursday night through early Friday morning has left the walled compound of the Lusignan Prison, which is currently holding some 500 inmates from the razed Camp Street prison, flooded.
The prisoners who had reportedly requested to be removed from the submerged facility have since made unsuccessful attempts to set the Lusignan facility on fire since their demands were not being met.
This publication understands that some of the prisoners got access to a generator located in close proximity to the walled area where they are being kept and used its fuel to make flambeaus which were then hurled at the prison building. The incident occurred sometime around 2:00hrs on Friday morning.
Fire fighters were able to extinguish the flames that emanated from the hurled objects before any significant damage could be done.
The actions by the prisoners comes on the heels of promises made by the Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan that the conditions for the approximately 500 prisoners located at Lusignan are expected to improve as emergency works are ongoing at the facility.
On Thursday Ramjattan had said that the prisoners that are currently in the open area of the Lusignan Prison will have better facilities within the next 24 hours as contractors are doing the emergency works, which are expected to be completed by Friday midnight.
He explained that constructions works are ongoing, “We have a tarmac and (will be) putting up sheds with roofs and better washroom facilities so that they can be in better conditions.”
It remains unclear how the prisoners got access to a igniting source to light the flambeaus but investigations are ongoing from the Fire Service and the Police Force.
Of the 1018 prisoners located at the Lusignan facility, 463 persons have been removed, and relocated to the other penitentiaries, while the Public Security Minister noted that utilizing his power under the Prison Act, he approved the early release of 57 prisoners, while the Magistrates have granted a total of 34 persons bail.
Moreover, of the approximately 500 remaining at Lusignan, Ramjattan had said that 250 prisoners will be transferred back to the Camp Street prison once the concrete block which was not significantly damaged during the initial fire is refurbished.
