New Radios Payoff Immediately at BVI Prison

Contraband flung over the fence at a Tortola prison might have made its way into the hands of inmates if not for new radios guards started using just days before, British Virgin Islands officials said Friday.

Prison guards intercepted a package thrown into the Balsam Ghut less than two days after new radios arrived Dec. 2. The matter was turned over to the Royal British Virgin Islands Police Force but government officials declined to say if arrests were made or what specific contraband was in the package. Frequently smuggled prison contraband includes phones, drugs, weapons, and alcohol, said Andrea Blumire, Gov. Daniel Pruce’s policy and communications officer.

“The radios have vastly improved communication and our ability to respond to security and safety threats and pursue disciplinary charges and possible criminal charges,” said His Majesty’s Prison Superintendent Jay Kendall. A 2022 review by current and former prison officials found the Balsam Ghut facility lacking in many basic security measures, including equipment like security cameras, adequate staffing, and basic facility upkeep. The review said the site was in poor condition after years of neglect, security procedures were “virtually nonexistent,” and staff morale was “very low.”