Articles & News

April 2, 2008

Trinidad residents concerned over prison issues

By Stephen Cummings, Caribbean Net News Trinidad and Tobago Correspondent
Email: stephen@caribbeannetnews.com

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: An influx of illegal immigrants who are now serving jail terms at the maximum security state prison in Arouca, Trinidad, is said to be causing some concern for local authorities.

Some of the illegal immigrants who have been arrested for various offences have been left unclassified. Caribbean Net News was told that many find themselves in prison cells with other locals and they themselves become accomplices, committing more violations even within the prison walls.

Normally prisoners are classified according to their level of crime committed.

Sources revealed that at the Arouca prison, which is located east of the capital, Port of Spain, there are over 70 illegal immigrants, among them 26 Africans, 18 Caribbean nationals, 17 Spanish nationals, 1 Syrian and seven Vietnamese nationals.

Many of the offences committed by the illegal immigrants range from illegal entry into the country to drugs trafficking, and guns and ammunition possession.

Another issue that has arisen is that many are placed on waiting lists for processing of extradition documents, which sometimes takes years to complete.

Prisoner overcrowding at the remand section of the Port of Spain prison is yet another problem, which has been described by some as a "ticking time bomb".