Director of Prisons sent on leave

SENT ON LEAVE: Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels

Director of Prison Gladwin Samuels was sent on leave with immediate effect.

BIG Smith News Watch has been informed that the director who has more than one hundred and thirty days leave was asked to proceed on same.

Speaking with BIG Smith News Watch Tuesday morning, Samuels confirmed that he is on leave. He has also indicated that the leave he is on has been accumulated over the years.

Question on if he was asked to go on his leave or if he wrote for same and got permission, Samuels would only say that the leave he is currently on was accumulated leave.

There is a Government policy that public officials ought to take their leave when it is due less it be forfeited. The State has moved away from paying officers for backed up leave which they fail to utilize but seek to bill the state for.

Public officials not going on their leave when it is due; hampers succession plans in agencies and also prevents lower functionaries from having an opportunity to be exposed to command and managerial experience.

In the absence of Gladwin Samuels, the Deputy Director of Prisons Niclon Elliot will supervise the operations of the Prison Service. Based on communication which this publication received, Elliot will continue to act in that capacity ‘until further notice’

When this publication reached out to the Office of the Minister of Home Affairs, we were unable to speak with the minister as we were told that he was in a meeting.