The recent attacks on officers at Westgate Correctional Facility are unacceptable.

These officers have a difficult job working in a highly stressful and dangerous environment, and it is imperative that they receive the requisite services for their physical and emotional health.

Incarcerated persons, especially those who have chosen to make the necessary changes in attitudes and beliefs that will support a good and simple life, also face similar risks to their health and safety.

They, too, must receive all services necessary to increase their chances of success, including educational/vocational opportunities and treatment for substance use disorders, violent and sexual offending, intimate partner violence, anger and emotional management, criminal attitudes and beliefs, and conflict resolution and restorative justice.

The issues concerning the operations of Westgate Correctional Facility have been repeatedly communicated and documented by officers on the front line, incarcerated persons, the Prison Officers Association, staff and myself.

The physical plant is in a state of disrepair and yet there is no sense of urgency to fix the problems.

There have been chronic problems with the plumbing that has resulted in the facility not having hot water, and at times no water at all.

As was highlighted recently by the inmate Behind the Walls in a recent op-ed, $400,000 was earmarked for educational and rehabilitative services. The money was spent on upgrades to the kitchen facility, and a few months later the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Kim Wilkerson, toured the Westgate facility and posed for a photo op in front of the recently purchased kitchen equipment.

A press release said the new equipment was installed in support of culinary classes at the facility. However, as the inmate explains, there are no culinary classes being offered at Westgate, and there have not been any classes offered since before the pandemic. As the inmate explains: “The truth is that the kitchen at Westgate was — and still is — in a state of disrepair and that the equipment that was purchased was necessary in order to keep the facility running.”

This is unacceptable. Corrections officers and inmates need immediate, concrete action — not photo ops.

Officers have identified the need for equipment to improve safety, in particular mobile phone jammers and drone nets to prevent mobile phones, drugs and weapons from entering the facility. The Department of Corrections is critically short of officers, which results in many working overtime and suffering burnout because of mental and physical exhaustion. This has the knock-on effect of a deterioration of safety protocols and the ability to conduct regular and random sweeps to clear the facility of phones, weapons, drugs and other contraband.

The Government has underfunded corrections by more than $7 million, which could have had a positive impact on safety, service delivery and a reduction in reoffending.

The One Bermuda Alliance recognises that staffing is a primary need and that we do not have sufficient candidates for the positions. Bermuda cannot wait for the new uniform training school to provide staff; we must recruit trained officers from Britain using a similar approach to the Bermuda Police Service.

We should also consider sending a Bermudian cohort overseas to work for a minimum of six months in maximum-security prisons to get the necessary knowledge and experience to effectively operate a safe and results-driven facility.

If we continue on our present course, lives will be lost — on both sides. We know what we must do. Instead of empty promises and witnessing the further deterioration of the system, we need to take meaningful action now.

• Robert King is the Shadow Minister of National Security and the One Bermuda Alliance MP for Smith’s North (Constituency 10)