Fed-up prison officers are demanding an end to arrogant management which has sent morale plummeting as talks continue with Government.

Prison Officers spokesman Russ Ford said morale was "pretty terrible" and attacked the management style of Prison Commissioner John Prescod who has been at the helm for less than a year after attracting controversy in Jamaica.

On Monday, prison officers marched and issued a 21-day strike notice after claiming promises made at a 2001 board of inquiry into the service had not been implemented.

Mr. Ford said Mr. Prescod was: "Arrogant, disrespectful and condescending to staff.

"He's not willing to listen. He says he hears you but he does not.

"We don't want to go through the whole term fighting with him left, right and centre. We have been down this road before."

He said staff with suggestions and ideas contrary to Mr. Prescod's agenda were shut down and ignored.

Asked if it wasn't management's right to manage, Mr. Ford said: "Yes he may have his own vision but the way he has gone about it has seen people being pushed aside, their input not valued."

He said he feared those left out could sabotage the plan. "We have very capable people," he added.

Prison officers marched Monday just as interviews were about to start for the post of Assistant Commissioner.

The post has been rotated in recent months but Mr. Ford said hopefuls had been given unequal time in the role.

Mr. Ford said it was wrong to push ahead with appointments when there was still no procedure for staff evaluation despite this being in draft form in January last year by former Commissioner Edwin Wilson.

He said prison officers wanted objective criteria for basing promotions on, promised in the inquiry, to avoid going back to the dark days of favouritism and political appointments.

"You need a process so there is a level playing field. How can you have a succession plan if you don't know what you are looking for in terms of suitability."

Mr Ford noted Mr. Prescod had battled prison officer walkouts, riots and violence during his tenure in Jamaica.

He said: "It's the same level of arrogance, disrespect and disregard for staff as back then, we are seeing a repeat of that behaviour, that's why we want to nip it in the bud."

He said Mr. Prescod was determined to employ an overseas training consultant but had not even consulted the current prison training head.

"This is a style we don't accept as being a very reasonable way to do business to make them feel as if they have no particular worth, role or function."

He said another broken inquiry promise was to have staff given a career path within six months of joining.

The collective bargaining agreement was being flouted said Mr. Ford by not temporarily promoting staff to take acting roles for management on leave.

This meant staff did not get the extra cash for "acting up" or get the chance to have valuable experience in more challenging roles.

He said: "It's very important for professional growth."

Mr. Ford said the Commissioner had failed to appoint a stand-in when he went on holiday.

"He didn't circulate a memo saying he was going on leave or who was going to act up."

The inquiry had promised to boost officer numbers but he said four of the latest recruits had left within less than a year and there were now 12 vacancies.

Mr. Ford predicted more would follow suit if changes were not made.

He said lack of staff was pushing up the overtime bill and claimed last year's overtime budget had been exhausted by the end of the summer - less than six months into the financial year.

"We don't have the staff so people are working much longer hours or coming in on their days off."

He said the first two years after the prison inquiry staff numbers had been boosted but the Prison department had taken advantage of a clause not to boost numbers on the third year if they felt it wasn't necessary.

And he said now numbers were being eroded through attrition.

The Prison Officers Union had spent $100,000 on the prisons inquiry and didn't want to put all that time, energy and money down the drain, said Mr. Ford.

He said Acting Minister Neletha Butterfield had been effecting in organising talks.

Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Brian Rowlinson said Government had been given a list of concerns but needed to know by Monday which were the priority issues for prison staff to help avert a possible strike. Meanwhile talks are continuing.

He said: "I met this morning with the Director of Labour and Training who will act as the mediator in this matter.

"The Director will undertake a series of meetings, starting immediately, with the Executive of the Association (collectively and individually), the Commissioner and other affected parties."