Former prison employees meet with P.M. on Kolbe Management
Herman Blease
The Belize Central Prison Employees Coalition is an ad hoc group established following several terminations and suspensions by Kolbe Foundation which manages the institution. The former employees charge that all is not well behind the prison walls. And after the Coalition took to the airwaves, Kolbe sought legal advice regarding the allegations. But the group claims it is taking up the cause of the two hundred plus employees of the prison. Earlier today, Herman Blease, the former Deputy Chief of Kolbe’s Security, along with the National Trade Union Congress of Belize and other union members, sat down in a meeting with Prime Minister Dean Barrow in which they raised and discussed twenty nine points of concern. News Five spoke to Blease about the meeting with the PM.
Herman Blease, Former Deputy Chief of Security, Kolbe
“We had the president of the N.T.U.C.B., we had the president of the Energy Workers Union, we had members of our coalition and one or two other members from the other unions who were present here today including the secretary from the communications workers union. The meeting went well. I feel very good about what came out of the discussions. We had twenty-nine points that were raised and subsequent meetings will be set up. We should be meeting with the minister of labor between tomorrow and Friday and then there is a meeting set up with the Minister of National Security.”
Jose Sanchez
“In this meeting with the Prime Minister, what points were he receptive to?”
Herman Blease
“Well he was receptive to all the issues we raised. He expressed his concerns with a few of them. But said that he is going to make sure now that we meet with the Minister of National Security because he believes that the Minister of National Security needs to hear what is being said by the Coalition.”
Jose Sanchez
“Can you share any of these points?”
Herman Blease
“I prefer not to. At this time I prefer not to. They are still in discussion with the P.M. and I think it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to discuss that.”
Jose Sanchez
“The issue itself that brought you here to this meeting, what is that?”
Herman Blease
“It’s all about the employees of the Belize Central Prison; it is nothing about me, but it is about the prison system in Belize overall and the employment security of those employees over there. That is the most important issue; that is what has brought us here. We believe we are making major traction in our efforts and at the end of our meetings we will have a changed prison system.”
Jose Sanchez
“But you were also concerned about employees who were let go from the system itself; is it not part of the issues that brought you here?”
Herman Blease
“Right, it’s about the massive termination track record that the Kolbe Foundation has—suspensions and terminations and lack of due process in these terminations and suspensions. And so we believe now—and I don’t think you will hear about any terminations and suspensions from Kolbe. We believe now our message is heard. We are saying that this must not continue and we appreciate to have the N.T.U.C.B. in with us on these issues. And at the end of the day it is neither about the N.T.U.C.B. or us, it’s about workers on a whole in this country.”
The coalition says it will also meet with the Minister of National Security.
Da fool di talk…but dah no fool di listen!
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. Afraid some people will end up in prison themselves.
worked at kolbe under blease…he is a joke and always tryin to undermine and badmouth people, that’s why i am not there anymore. this “movement” he wants to get will go nowhere becuase he has no integrity – he liad bad. none of the people with him have integrity. he was also trying to push his political agenda to take over the prison whenever the pup government came to power…while a pup supporter myself, i have advised our my chairman to distance themselves far from them.
Kolbe Foundation has an unbroken track record proving it is NOT competent to run a prison securely — how many drugs are sold INSIDE the prison walls, with connivance of prison employees? How many escapes? A MAN WAS JUST ARRESTED LAST WEEK CARRYING AMMUNITION INTO THE PRISON FOR A GUN THAT WAS ALREADY IN THE INMATE POPULATION!!!!
And Kolbe accomplishes NO rehabilitation.
Sadly the prison is one of the worst cesspools of crime and corruption in the country.
THROW OUT KOLBE FOUNDATION AND LET BDF RUN THE PRISON WITH AN EXPERIENCED WARDEN FROM UK OR USA. Or maybe get a warden from Communist China — those chaps REALLY know how to handle prisoners!
Winston Churchill once said “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks”….Keep up the Good work Kolbe!!