Fiji Prison

Behind The

Troubles

From a Suva Correspondent The lid came off Suva Gaol on March 1 when police and warders cleaned up a recalcitrant crowd of mutinous prisoners in

the biggest gaol upset Fiji has

ever had.

THE short sharp battle resulted in 61 out of the 154 striking prisoners receiving not-so-very serious injuries, and all sorts of rumours fly ing around the Colony. The rumours were soon killed by the timely re lease of a statement by the Superin tendent of Prisons, Mr. Wally Morgan.

The action taken by the Superin tendent in calling in the police riot squads effectively squashed what might have become a very serious situation, and more important still, might have foiled a plan which is being hatched by criminal elements in the Colony to destroy confidence in the Government’s ability to main tain law and order.

Doubtless, there will be an inquiry into the riot, and the same tedious lies voiced by many prisoners at the last gaol inquiry repeated all over again.

What caused the riot?

Suddenly, early on the morning of

March 1, 154 prisoners out of the prison’s population of 269, obviously acting on a prearranged plan, refused to go to work and made several de mands.

The demands included free cig arettes, more free cinema shows and payment for work done.

They forgot to ask for free beer!

Already the prisoners have radio, free cinemas and smoking time, and the public can be forgiven for think ing that prison life is pretty good.

The Superintendent asked them to go to work or to their cells. They were cajoled and commanded but still they refused to move.

Eventually, the police moved in and tear gas bombs were lobbed among the mutineers. Many prisoners rushed to the kitchen and armed themselves with cutlery and other makeshift weapons.

Police dogs, powerful Dobermans, got to grips with the prisoners, and before long all were hustled back to their cells.

Some Injured

Policemen and warders did not escape unscathed, and a few were in jured, but a plot was nipped in the bud.

According to the coconut wireless there were two plots.

Fiji’s gaols at the moment contain almost all the Colony’s really vicious crooks and killers, thanks to the suc cessful operations of the CID over the last three years. Never before has there been such a clean-up, but the clean-up has drawn attention to the lack of gaol space. Prisons are overcrowded.

Discipline in some of them has been slack, due sometimes to modern

Policemen equipped with batons and gas masks stand by out side Suva Gaol dur ing the disturbances on March 1.

Photo: Stan Whippy.