Last week, Turks and Caicos Islands Governor, H.E. Richard Tauwhare, received the reports completed following the investigations carried out by the Police and Prison Visiting Committee into allegations of physical and sexual abuse and mistreatment at the prison on Grand Turk.

The Governor indicated that he was satisfied that there were no widespread or sanctioned abuses of power at the prison or any arbitrary or systematic denial of entitlements. However, he conceded that the report reveals the existence of some individual issues which had not been dealt with as effectively as they should have been.

The Governor hastened to add that these individual cases were no reflection on the staff at the prison, who continued to work under pressure in a difficult environment where the prison population was rising quickly.

He expressed hope that the newly appointed Prison Superintendent would continue to make progress in resolving many long-standing issues at the prison.

Further, the Overseas Territories Prison Reform Co-ordinator has now visited the prison to advise on work to improve the prison’s operations and to oversee the introduction of more effective systems and procedures.

The Governor also assured that members of the Prison Visiting Committee will continue to visit the prison on a regular basis and to monitor standards there.

CURB sees this as a confirmation of the work done by journalist Gemma Handy whose recent article on abuses at Grand Turk prompted the investigation by the Governor, police and the Prison Visiting Committee.