Prisoners with mental health issues to get further attention

Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has given an indication that government will be seeking to address certain situations involving prisoners with mental health challenges.

The Prime Minister spoke about this matter on NBC radio on Wednesday, March 15.

He admitted that there are persons at His Majesty’s prisons with mental health issues, including some charged with murder and other violent offences.

There were instances where some of these prisoners were sent to the Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre at Glen.

However, Gonsalves pointed out, that in at least two cases, the Attorney General had to go to court to get a variation of the court order for the prisoners to remain in jail.

This was due to lack of proper security at the Mental Health Centre to deal with the violent turn of these inmates.

The manner of dealing with such inmates in prison also has to be addressed, he said.

Noting that these prisoners are also human beings, the Prime Minister pointed to the need for a separate wing at the prisons to house inmates with mental health challenges.