Jail takes
A Beaconite went to prison last week. Fortunately, he was only at the Balsam Ghut facility for an hour to observe a tour of the site by Governor Daniel Pruce. And it was a fascinating glimpse of what goes on behind locked doors. The governor said he makes regular visits to the facility (usually without the media in tow), and he seems genuinely enthusiastic about working with Superintendent Jay Kendall to make it a more humane and smoothly run prison in order to produce better outcomes for staff, inmates and the wider society. The facility boasts a well-stocked library and a farm with about 80 pigs, and it appeared to have a calm atmosphere during the visit as the governor chatted to prisoners. It was encouraging to see the governor ensure that he has first-hand experience of what goes on behind those foreboding gates.
User-friendly report
Many people have shared their thoughts on the recently published second volume of the law enforcement review, including during an extensive debate in the House of Assembly over the course of two days last week. A Beaconite will not be sharing her own thoughts on the contents of the report here. But she would like to comment on the document itself, which is extremely user-friendly. The digital document’s 281 pages are dotted with hyperlinks that can take readers to parts of the report that are being referenced. Additionally, there are hyperlinks to the website of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, which carried out the review, as well as to other relevant websites including INTERPOL’s. In addition, the PDF file is searchable. This may seem like a small thing, but the reporter believes it is an important part of making such documents accessible to the public. She commends the inspectorate for a clear, well-written report that is also easy to navigate. She hopes government agencies in the Virgin Islands take note.
Quiet, please
Pounding drums reverberating across hillsides, mixing with music from home deejays. Trucks and scooters roaring up Joes Hill. A Beaconite is all too familiar with such disturbances, and he is glad to hear that police are cracking down by issuing a warning to motorists “who continue to disturb communities with excessive noise.” This isn’t the first time a warning has been issued, and it won’t be the last. But he hopes drivers will pay attention. The reporter has seen commercial vehicles without mufflers on engine brakes, blow-off valves, or even engine exhaust pipes. Mufflers, however, are not the only issue. Far too often, he has followed a leaking truck up the hill, dodging a road that’s been slicked with oil as if he’s after James Bond. Included within the regular safety inspections that commercial vehicles should undergo, working engines should be checked for leaks, and brake pads should be checked for wear. Dozens of times per week, massive trucks make their way up the territory’s steepest hills, tearing up asphalt and leaving an oil slick out the back. At the very least, they should be checked to make sure the car behind them won’t be crushed by a cement truck that just lost its brakes down Joes Hill. In other words, “loud” trucks and bikes are a problem, yes, but they are the tip of an iceberg. The police say they are prioritising the enforcement of the Noise Control and Abatement Act (1996). Let’s see regulation of not just their exhaust systems, but their safety in general.
