PRISON officials yesterday accused some warders of encouraging inmates at the General Penitentiary in downtown Kingston to again go on hunger strike.

Richard Reese, the head of the correctional services, claimed that warders were as much as helping prisoners to stock up on food so that they could stage a lock-in in their cells.

He added that the warders, apparently upset over the failure of the prison to pay overdue allowances, were inciting prisoners to go on another hunger strike so as to disrupt operations at the maximum security facility. The prisoners, according to the prison boss, were to have stocked up on food and refuse that provided by the prison.

“Our intelligence information is that. there is a small group of disaffected warders who are trying to use the prisoners to further their own interests,” Reese said yesterday.

Reese said disciplinary action would be taken against the warders, who he has accused of inciting insurrection with the inmates to go on another hunger strike. “This small group of disaffected officers (warders) will be disciplined because we were preparing for this attack. We were aware that persons would bring enough food to facilitate another (hunger) strike.”

Inmates at the General Penitentiary last week staged a five-day hunger strike, forcing the authorities to remove the ring leader who had threatened to harm those who broke the strike.

Prison officials, in the meantime, believe inmates were stocking up on food which led to a record 372 visitors to the General Penitentiary on Wednesday, forcing a one-hour extension of visiting time. The extension of vsiiting time affected the lock-down of inmates.

The unruly behaviour of the visitors later led to an indefinite suspension of visits to the facility.

“It was observed that visitors who had been processed remained in the assembly area and were joined by 200 additional persons who claimed to be visitors,” Major Reese said in a press statement.

Some of the visitors, he said, had blocked the roadway in front of the prison.

Prison sources said visitors who were unable to deliver food to their relatives and friends became unruly after blocking the roadway in front of the facility, preventing the passage of vehicular traffic.

“Given this situation, appropriate security measures have been initiated and effective march 25, all visits have been suspended until further notice,” said Reese.

He pointed out that guidelines surrounding visits have been relaxed for far too long and they must now be returned to what obtains under the regulations.

Meanwhile, Reese said a warder at the South Camp Road Rehabilitation Centre is under investigation for having a prohibited item in his possession. “He was found in possession of a cell phone, something which is banned from the facility. He was found with the item during a security search today (yesterday). He said the matter is under investigation and a disciplinary charge will follow.