A top British prison expert will arrive in Bermuda next week to review the Department of Corrections, in response to serious concerns raised by prison officers.Minister of Justice Kim Wilson announced the move in a joint statement with Craig Clarke, the head of the Prison Officers Association, following a meeting between them.Phil Wheatley, a former Director-General of the British prison service, will arrive late next week to begin interviews with stakeholders, according to Sen Wilson.The news comes less than two weeks after Mr Clarke held a press conference to warn that it is just a matter of time until there is all-out anarchy at Westgate, Bermuda’s only maximum security prison. He suggested Commissioner of Prisons Edward Lamb “may not be the right man” for the job.Mr Clarke warned that officers face dangerous situations on a daily basis and are discovering illegal drugs, cash and cellphones inside the prison walls. Calling for a full-scale review, he said a new wave of inmates with gang affiliations means “it is becoming increasingly alarming to maintain this inmate population in a sterile, safe environment”.Answering that call, Sen Wilson said: “Following the meeting with Mr Clarke earlier this week, I can confirm the Government’s commitment to commission an independent and comprehensive review of the Department of Corrections and that former HM Prison Service Director-General Phil Wheatley will be conducting the review.“Mr Wheatley has a wealth of experience, having performed reviews of the prison service in Northern Ireland, Barbados and the Ukraine recently. I also note that he came up from the ranks from prison officer to Governor of Hull Prison.”She said Mr Wheatley will work alongside Government’s Management Services “to conduct a holistic review of the Department of Corrections with the aim of producing a five-year strategic plan to assess, clarify and direct the department mandate with respect to all aspects of policy, leadership, management, operations, infrastructure and legislative reform.”Sen Wilson said she informed the Prison Officers Association about other measures to address their concerns, and the vast majority have already been introduced.“In particular, fencing around maximum security units has been completed and a new CCTV system has been installed at the Co-Ed Facility,” she said. “In addition, the Commissioner of Corrections has established a Security Review Committee within the Department of Corrections to review the security of all three facilities and make recommendations to ensure the future operation of these facilities are safe for all staff and a secure environment to house inmates.”Asked if the findings of Mr Wheatley’s review will be made public, Sen Wilson replied: “Naturally, given the terms of reference for the review, there may be portions of the review which, given sensitivities, the release of same may be contrary to public safety. As such, those such portions may not be made public. However, to the extent that it does not have the potential of interfering with public safety, it will be made public.”Although the press release was said to be issued jointly with Mr Clarke, it contained no remarks from him.Invited by The Royal Gazette to share his views on the announcement, he replied: “I have no comments.”The news follows an announcement first made by former Minister of Justice Michael Scott in August 2011 that there would be an independent review followed by a five-year strategic plan for Bermuda’s prison service.At that time, Mr Scott said the review would look at how gang member inmates are being controlled and the concerns of prison officers who say current legislation is outdated.