Queens Counsel Valerie-Neita Roberston has called for protection for sick prisoners amid the COVID 19 outbreak.
Robertson, who is one of Vybz Kartel’s senior attorneys, has called on the relevant authorities to do more. While she is not in support of the temporary releases, she believes there are other measures.
Robertson suggests that one solution could be to place at risk prisoners in isolation to prevent contamination.
According to Robertson, she is not only concerned about her client but also other inmates.
“I am very concerned about him and other inmates who have medical conditions and I don’t believe the authorities are dealing with it appropriately because we have too many instances where there are these types of outbreaks and they don’t do what they need to do. I would think they could even place them on a hospital ward and isolate them and take extra precautions,” she said.
Robertson’s concerns were previously echoed by the local human rights group, Stand Up for Jamaica. They called for the temporary release of inmates over the age of 60 or those with chronic illnesses.
Neita-Robertson added that tighter measures could be necessary to prevent the virus from reaching the prisons. She pointed out concerns that warders freely enter and exit the cells to carry out their duties.
“I am assuming visits have been stopped now but food is still coming in, and the virus can live on plastic for hours and they can’t spray the food. So I really don’t know what they are going to do but something needs to be done,” she said.
Vybz Kartel is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams. There are concerns that the deejay could be at risk considering his frequent trips to the hospital in recent years.
