Simon Power
National Party Law & Order Spokesman

30 June 2006

Prison communication fails again

Communications between management and staff at Manawatu Prison are clearly in a mess, says National’s Law & Order spokesman, Simon Power.

He is commenting on a report that prison bosses refused to tell staff that dangerous prisoners were plotting an escape because they wanted to protect the inmate who told them. Dangerous criminal Kerry Taylor escaped after being moved to another cell to thwart the plot.

“Communications between management and staff are clearly strained and it is imperative they are improved before there are further major incidents.

“This time the escapee was caught without any real damage being done, but who knows what might happen next time.

“This is the same prison where staff passed a vote of no confidence in management.

“This is the type of blunder that is becoming typical in a department which shows nearly every day that it is struggling to do its core business.”

ENDS

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