Lt. Colonel John Prescod
THE HEARINGS into the charges of indiscipline brought against some 800 prison warders by the Govern-ment adjourned prematurely on Monday, without a single witness being heard.
The hearings were adjourned to July 31, after lawyers from the Attorney-General's Department failed to produce two witnesses scheduled to appear and called for an adjournment, instead.
The Government's lawyers were not available to explain the reason for the decision, but The Gleaner understands that they may end their case against the first six warders of the 800 to face the Commission without bringing any more witnesses.
Commenting on the development yesterday, University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU) spokesman, Lambert Brown, said that his union, which represents the majority of the warders, was hoping that the Government was not trying to drag out the hearings unnecessarily.
The warders were sent on interdiction in January pending the charges triggered by their work stoppage protest against the reappointment of Lt. Colonel John Prescod as Commissioner of Corrections. The first hearing on the issue was not held until May 26. It was adjourned until Monday after hearing two witnesses.
