JAMAICAN AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF

UNCLAS KINGSTON 000317

SIPDIS

FOR CA/OCS/ACS/WHA (RBRANSON),WHA/CAR (WBENT)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC PHUM JM
SUBJECT: JAMAICAN AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF
FREQUENT PRISON RAPE



1. SUMMARY: On January 19, 2006, the Jamaican National
Security Ministry initiated an inquiry into allegations of
daily acts of rape committed against inmates at the St.
Catherine Adult Correctional Centre, where American
prisoners are regularly incarcerated. The inquiry followed
published complaints of sexual abuse at the facility by a
former prison doctor, Dr. Raymoth Notice. Within days of
publication of the articles, an American inmate was
transferred to St. Catherines, allegedly for his safety,
after being accused of homosexual acts. END SUMMARY


2. The Jamaica Observer reported on January 19, 2006 that
Dr. Raymoth Notice, former doctor at St. Catherines
s
Correctional Facility for men in Spanish Town, and the
immediate former mayor of Spanish Town, wrote to the
Commissioner of Corrections urging authorities to
investigate mass rape at the facility. Dr. Notice also
reportedly expressed similar complaints at a St. Catherine
Parish Council meeting, where he characterized the victims
of the prison rapes as predominantly mentally ill inmates
and non-violent offenders. Dr. Notice served as prison
doctor at the St. Catherine prison from 1998 to 2001, and
during that period he spoke out against the abuse of
prisoners.


3. The Observer also reported that an anonymous prison
warder corroborated Dr. Notices allegations. The warder
reportedly stated that prison officials have turned a
blind eye to sex trade in the prison, and that other
warders and inmates regularly charge fees to rent out
certain inmates, most of whom are homosexual or mentally
ill, for sex.


4. The National Security Ministry announced its
its
investigation into the rape allegations the same day the
Observer printed its first article. In later articles,
National Security Minister Peter Phillips was quoted as
saying that the GOJ would expand the prison rape inquiry to
include Jamaicas other maximum security prison, the Tower
Street facility. He added that the Department of
Correctional Services has instituted significant
administrative and infrastructural changes to mitigate the
likelihood of occurrences of abuse.


5. The prison rape allegations were the subject of four
news articles and two editorials collectively in the
Jamaica Observer and the Jamaica Gleaner in late January,

2006. The articles generally expressed a sense of public
outrage at the possibility that prison rape might be
commonplace in Jamaica, and pressed government officials to
take appropriate action.


6. In late January, an American inmate at the minimum
security Tamarind Farm facility was transferred to St.
St.
Catherines following allegations of homosexual activity.
St. Catherines officials insist the move was for his
protection and are housing the inmate in the hospital ward
as a precaution. Post will regularly visit the inmate
and monitor his situation.

Johnson
son