A Jamaican union leader has said he feels vindicated after learning former Prisons Commissioner John Prescod is now in hot water with his staff in his new post in Bermuda.

University and Allied Workers Union leader Lambert Brown repeatedly clashed with Mr. Prescod during his eight years running Jamaica's prisons.

In August 1997 warders walked off the job and prisoners rioted leaving 16 dead after Mr. Prescod suggested condoms should be issued to them to stop the spread of AIDS.

In 2000, 800 warders went on strike in protest at the decision to renew Mr. Prescod's contract. They were suspended on quarter pay after the Jamaican Government declared the strike illegal.

The Jamaica Observer newspaper reported recently that Prescod felt most problems were caused by warders resisting his reforms but critics said Mr. Prescod was high handed.

Following the recent walk out by 120 of Bermuda's prison officers in protest at Mr. Prescod's management style and failure to deliver promised changes Mr. Brown said he felt "vindicated" by the news.

He said: "It is not surprising to me and to the majority of correctional officers in Jamaica.

"We don't know if it is his military training that leads him into the autocratic style but we found that he was not delivering on things he promised to do here as well.

"There is something inherently wrong with his leadership approach."