The Government is promising ?immediate? action to solve the Westgate overcrowding problem following a marathon crisis meeting yesterday.

Meanwhile the Prison Officers? Association (POA) has claimed that assaults on staff have increased at the prison recently as it becomes increasingly congested.

Fifteen delegates spent more than four hours hammering out potential solutions to the overcrowding problem with representatives of the prison administration joining the Parole Board, the POA, Court Services representatives, Government officials and other stakeholders round the table.

The POA held a meeting on Monday to deal with problems at Westgate and the Prison Farm which are operating at, or above, full capacity despite crippling staff shortages.

The association claimed that the ?crisis situation? is leading to health and safety risks for both staff and inmates at the facility and will call another mass meeting early next week to discuss the outcome from yesterday?s talks.

?We have tried to pin down the Ministry with exactly what they mean by immediate,? said POA spokesman Russ Ford, who admitted he was ?mentally fatigued? by the four-hour meeting.

?The time frame that we want to see this problem reduced, or eliminated in, is within a month. Overcrowding is a recipe for disaster.

?A number of solutions were discussed in the meeting and we will be putting them to our members early next week. There are some things that will lead to degrees of contemplation and review for our members but I want to make it clear that the POA will not, will not compromise on the health and safety of our members.?

He said that assaults on officers and violence between inmates had increased recently, although he didn?t have the figures to hand.

But he added: ?I would just like to thank the staff for the excellent job they have been doing to quell a number of potential incidents in what is an increasingly dangerous working environment.?

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Robert Horton told after the meeting: ?It was extremely productive.

?It was conducted throughout in an atmosphere of mutual respect and professionalism. People were firm but respected each other?s views.

?The fact that we sat in there for four hours is clear demonstration of the commitment we are showing to overcome this situation as quickly as possible.

?We have put together a list of solutions to tackle the overcrowding but it would be wrong of me to reveal the detail now when I have yet to fully appraise the Minister on what has been discussed.?

He added that Minister Randy Horton would be making a ministerial statement in the House of Assembly today on the conclusion of the discussions and would also give details on the success of the recent Mutual Support conference held in Bermuda ? the POA boycotted the three-day conference which saw delegates come to the Island from correctional facilities in the overseas territories.

All parties confirmed that the discussions focuses solely on the overcrowding in the prisons and did not stray on to the subject of Prison Commissioner John Prescod?s management style ? something the POA have already gone on strike over this year.