Education/Training

The Prison Officers’ Association exists to serve its members and over the past forty years, the P.O.A. has undergone several challenges. We have stood steadfast in our quest to embrace change in global village in which transformation is integral for future development.

The P.O.A. has for the past four decades relied on fiver pillars: Protect, Represent, Conflict Management provide and educate. The P.O.A. embraced the opportunity to protect the interest of prison officers’ in their performance of duty. We are the only bargaining unit responsible for effective representation with regards to the terms and conditions under which prison officers are required to work. This situation requires the P.O.A. engage in meaning fill discussions at the Chief Personnel Officer for terms and conditions as well as remunerations. Subsequently, the P.O.A. also engages the office of the Director of Personnel Administration (DPA) also engages the office of the Director of Personnel Administration (DPA) on such issues as examination and promotions for prison officers. The P.O.A. as the only recognized association for prison officers of the second division had been regarded as the middleman or conflict manage to ensure that fairness and justice becomes a reality to our members. We are often called upon to act as intermediary between the Prison Administration tribunal Section (Responsible for disciplinary Matters) and prison officers involved in conflicts at work. In addition, we are obligated by our objectives to represent members at the Public Service Commission Department in disciplinary mattes that are job related. Additionally, we are part of a joint select housing committee comprising of members of the protective service such as fire officers, police officers and coast guard \ army personnel. This committee as set up by the Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago (Cabinet being the Executive arm of the government) to ensure officers in the protective services are represented in order to provide Housing benefits through the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) for their members. This committee was initially given the assurance that 10% allocation would be made available. The committee has experience numerous challenge in providing this benefit. We are pursuing the matter vigorously. In addition, we have engaged other organization namely, the Public Service Association (P.S.A. Union) and terminal Impact Corporation to assist in meeting the housing needs of our members. This present proposed has provided some of glimmer of hope to members. Several members have indicated their satisfaction in the financial service we have provided thus for. We have made a strategic alliance with the First Citizen Bank, Park Street Branch in which members are recommended for small loans and a large number of officers have benefitted from such service.

The last pillar of the P.O.A. – Education our present executive has recognized the need to educate our membership. We have deployed several strategies to accomplish this task, some of the strategies to accomplish this task which includes-

1. Publication of the Prison Officers Review

2. Development of a Website

3. Seminars \ Workshops

4. Station visit to educate members on job

5. Internet Café

6. Collaborate with NGO’s and other stakeholders (as a means to ultimate their resources in order to enhance membership.)

7. Network with local, regional and international organization in the Criminal Justice setting as tool for education

8. Development of a correctional library

9. Collaborate with the prison administration to become an active participant in the training and development of prison officers’ recruits

We are currently in negotiations with the Prison Administration for greater autonomy in partnering in the transformation process of the prison service. In light of the prevailing trend in correction, we are very optimistic that assistance from the Ministry of National Security as well as the prison administration would be forthcoming. At present, we are engaging officer the Director of Personnel Administrator (DPA) in order to have promotional examinations for prison officers. The D.P.A. has welcomed this initiative and is very eager to address this issue. In 2007 we saw the formation of syllabi Review Committee to address development of a syllabus in order for officer to be upon. This process is at its final stage and tentatively in three months time we shall have their overdue examinations. Our Education Committee has work under adverse situation and continues to display enormous strength. The committee members consist of Gregory Canning P.O. I, Lanclott Duntin P.O.I, Nicholas Gilbert P.O. I, and Rajkumar Ramroop Ag. P.O.II, Chairman and Public Relations.