Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1428470
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 NOVEMBER 2021 NEWS K ARL AZZOPARDI THE former prison director Col. Alex Dalli was booted out after the 14th prison death marred his disastrous tenure as Corradino Correctional Facili- ty (CCF) boss. 35-year-old Arun Josè was found dead in his cell at around 6:30am during the prison guard handover on Wednesday 10 September. After news broke of the sui- cide, Dalli was reported to have suspended himself, with the home affairs ministry appoint- ing Red Cross chief Robert Brincau as prison CEO. Dalli's suspension went into immedi- ate effect after a meeting be- tween the prison chief and the Minister Byron Camilleri. A ministry spokesperson told this newspaper that Dalli is currently suspended on half- pay. "Mr Dalli is no longer in- volved in the management and day-to-day running of the Cor- rectional Services Agency," she said. Robert Brincau was previ- ously heading the Detention Services Unit – the closed de- tention centre for irregular mi- grants – and during his time in the role had started imple- menting a number of changes, particularly in the welfare and security sectors. He acquired managerial ex- perience and served for many years within the International Red Cross Society where, as director with responsibility for the society's operations, ran a number of emergency human- itarian operations. In a brief comment to this newspaper, Brincau said he will try to approach the job from a different perspective. "We will try to look at things from a dif- ferent angle." He said it would be premature to comment further so early in- to his appointment. Dalli's strict regime for pris- oners were widely criticised by NGOs. Peppi Azzopardi, a foremost critic of the former prison chief said Brincau should be allowed to carry out the chang- es he needed. "The people who served under Dalli allowed those injustices to happen, and they too need to go. They ap- proved of his tactics," he said. Azzopardi also said Brincau should be open to the press and the media, unlike his predeces- sor. "It can only benefit him." The former Xarabank pre- senter also recalled his teach- ing days, when Brincau was his student. "What struck me about him is that when he saw students eating their lunch... he would point out the children that didn't have something to eat," he said. "I don't think he lost those values; they were in- grained within him, and I hope he keeps them at heart when he starts working in prison." "He still calls me 'sir'," Az- zopardi said jokingly. "Now I have to call him 'sir', and I have no issue with that." Robert Fenech from Movi- ment Graffitti said Brincau's first order of business should be that of re-opening the CCF to the media and the NGOs. "Prison should not be a for- tress." He also said big reforms are needed within Malta's prison system. "The system of cruelty has to go. People need to get what they deserve, and that is justice. Prison should not be a death sentence," he said. Neil Falzon, director at Adi- tus, said the NGO would like to see dignified access to in- mates by lawyers, NGOs and other professionals. "Much work needs to be done to en- sure appropriate protection of vulnerable inmates. We would also like to see the introduction of proper employment and ed- ucational opportunities, as the present options are not quite humane," he said. While welcoming the new appointment, which came "far too late", Falzon said the CCF former director did not re- ceive the condemnation "we would have liked the ministry to adopt". "The first thing that needs to be done is to send a clear mes- sage to all inmates, their fam- ilies, staff, and the community that CCF is no longer unsafe: that mysterious deaths in pris- on are a thing of the past. "Secondly, we recommend full and transparent coopera- tion with any investigation and inquiry that is or will be hap- pening at CCF." Falzon said the new manage- ment needs to look at all CCF procedures, rules and oper- ational methods in order to identify what is wrong with the system in order to start work- ing on bringing back "order, respect and humanity." "Finally, seek and obtain all the support available from in- ternational and European ex- pert organisations, local NGOs and other experts," he said. New prison boss has tall order of business after Dalli disaster NGOs send clear message to new prison boss: 'Make CCF more accessible to experts and the media' New prison director Robert Brincau