Seven so-called ‘high risk’ prisoners from the British Virgin Islands (BVI) arrived in St. Lucia on Monday to continue serving their sentences at the Bordelais Correctional Facility (BCF). The arrival of the prisoners falls under an agreement reached between the two countries following the passage of Hurricane Irma late last month which damaged the main prison in the BVI.
The group of prisoners arrived on a Royal Air Force Airbus that touched down at Hewanorra International Airport (HIA). They were later transported and were transported under heavily armed guard to the Bordelais facility.
Government offers temporary housing
St. Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, had earlier announced that his government had agreed to temporarily house prisoners from the BVI, after the prison there was severely damaged during the passage of the hurricane.
Fears allayed
The BCF has sought to allay public fears about the presence of the foreign prisoners indicating that special arrangements have been in place to ensure the visitors are secured and no threat to St. Lucia residents.
BCF programs manager, Virginia Lesmond-Joseph, told the media on Monday evening that the BVI inmates, whom she described as ‘high risk’, will be separated from the general population. “Our capacity is supposed to be five hundred but presently we are at our lowest,” Lesmond-Joseph said.
150 prisoners originally escaped
One hundred and fifty (150) inmates escaped after the BVI facility was damaged by Hurricane Irma on September 6, but most were recaptured and some returned on their own.
Only six “low risk” prisoners remain at large, BVI officials said.
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