Morris Cargill

I AM grateful to Dr. Omar Davies for having sent me the full details on all salaries and allowances available to the political directorate. It was also helpful for him to have included the details for the use of The Gleaner.

It was also interesting to note the information given me by Dr. Omar Davies. In my case it goes without saying that I am fully aware that Dr. Davies is opposed to any form of corruption. Dr. Davies adds "one cannot simply fire the Governor of a Central Bank because it is felt that he is being paid too much". I see no reason why not. I think over-payment is one good reason to fire him.

I find the full details of the salaries and allowances of Ministers reasonable. Indeed in comparison with the figures paid to some in the public sector, I think that the Ministers, who are all receiving less than $3 million a year must be considered, in comparison, to be practically starving to death. This being the case I have no reasonable choice but to let sleeping dogs lie. This is certainly the case of my friendly enemy the Minister of Finance and of others of equivalent integrity, although I cannot help suspecting that in one or two other cases this may not be applicable to a minority of otherwise somewhat somnolent canines.

Warders and prisoners

I find it very strange that the warders are giving the government an ultimatum. If any ultimatum is to be given, it seems to me that the ultimatum should be given to the warders. It is most unsatisfactory that discipline amongst the warders and possibly also amongst the prisoners should have almost totally broken down. In view of this it seems to me it is the warders who should be fired, but I suppose that things being how they are, there would never be a suitable number of disciplined warders to be found to man the prisoners properly.

Another important matter which has arisen is the proper feeding of prisoners. According to Senator Maxine Henry-Wilson, there seems to be some confusion concerning the catering contracts. There is a strong report concerning the matter of supplying 5,000 meals daily to the Tower Street and St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centres. According to this report, one Tony Phillips, whose company is said to have no prior experience in catering, is said to be handling funds estimated at between $10 to $15 million to purchase something called start-up equipment, whatever that means.

All this seems obscure, but what is certainly clear is that there is a dearth of proper figures concerning the meals given to prisoners. How many meals are provided daily? Does this refer to one meal a day, or to three meals ­ breakfast, lunch and dinner? Moreover what sort of meals? Is it just a matter of providing nuff-nuff in starches like yams and breadfruit, or is there any proper attempt to provide balanced meals?

Good dieticians tell me that the minimum amount of protein required per person per day is two ounces. What sort of protein, if any is in fact provided? I suppose rice-and-peas would be useful up to a point, but the protein of peas is by no means entirely satisfactory. For prisoners to get a suitable amount of protein, they would have to be given some meat, some soy, or some salt-fish, though this latter would certainly be very expensive.

I strongly suspect that the feeding of prisoners is highly unsatisfactory, involving every known kind of racketeering. Apart from everything else, do the prison authorities really know how much is being spent on food, and how much is simply stolen?

When and if the general chaos and confusion in our prisons is ever properly re-established, this matter of catering to prisoners is something which will have to be honestly administered. At the moment it seems that anything goes. I know that some privileged prisoners and privileged warders enjoy the comfort of radios and televisions, special food, and some other specialities such as tobacco, ganja and a bit of easily available sex. Others less fortunate are probably both half-starved and brutalised.

In any case our prisons are hellish places, and are made worse by corruption. I sometimes wonder how any of it is ever to be disentangled.

Incidentally, nothing is being made easier by the good Mr. Lambert Brown who is very good at making a great deal of noise. Nonetheless Mr. Lambert Brown and Trevor Munroe, both of the University and Allied Workers Union, have a great partnership going for them. Between them, they are known as Rough and Ready; one rough and the other always ready to make smooth excuses for his friend's behaviour.

End piece

It is certainly one piece of good news that the Prime Minister has put an end to the nonsense and (in my opinion) the corruption of what had come to be known as Hope Pastures. I take particular pleasure in congratulating, among others, my two good friends Vivian Blake, and John Maxwell on the successful outcome. I would also like to congratulate the Prime Minister, who for the first time in a long while has done something sensible. It is nice to think that a new generation will be once again enjoying the peace and tranquillity of Hope Gardens.

There is however one awful irony yet to be contemplated. Given the ramshackle traditions current in Jamaica I cannot help fearing that in no time at all Hope Gardens might have further degenerated, and will end up as a large area of squatters.