REPORT ON DETENTION CENTRE INCIDENT
 

The Ministry of Labour & Immigration wishes to release the following information with regard to an incident at the Detention Centre today, 9th December, 2004.  There were two separate, but connected events that occurred today; an attempted escape and a fire in one of the dormitories.

This information is compiled from the records of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) and the Department of Immigration.  The RBPF was responsible for containing the fire and investigating any criminal aspect of the matter.  The RBDF is responsible for the security and public order at the facility.  The Department of Immigration is responsible for the management and administration of the facility.

The first event was the escape of three men, discovered at 9 a.m.  Two of the men were apprehended at 10.10 a.m.  The third, Cuban national Fransisco Napoles Valdez remains at large.  The public is asked to keep a lookout for Mr. Valdez, who should be treated with caution.  The two persons who were recaptured were returned to their dorm, which houses 56 male detainees.

The second incident began at approximately 11.15 a.m.  The Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Bahamas Immigration officers assigned to the Detention Centre were about to collect a group of predominantly Cuban male detainees in Dorm 2 when they observed that the dorm door had been secured from the inside to prevent entry.  The officers gained entry into the dorm in an attempt to isolate the person suspected of causing the problem.  Upon gaining entry, they observed the detainees who were behaving in a hostile and aggressive manner.  The detainees surrounded the officers and tried to prevent them from removing the offending and belligerent detainee.  The dorm was set alight by the detainees who also hurled fiery objects at the officers.  The dorm was destroyed by the resulting fire before it could be extinguished.  In the event, the officers had to fire rubber rounds to restore order.  There was no loss of life.

The incident was quelled and the situation brought under control by 11.30 a.m.  The Detention Centre is now fully under the control of the lawful authorities.

As a result of the incident, 11 RBDF officers sustained injuries; mainly bruises and lacerations.  None of the Defence Force officers required hospitalisation.

Nine of the detainees sustained injuries.  Four of them did not require hospital treatment.  Five of them were taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).  The detainees’ known injuries are as follows: two from rubber rounds; one to the upper right armpit of one detainee; one to the upper left bicep of another detainee.  The three other detainees taken to PMH sustained injuries believed to be unrelated to the rubber rounds.  One, a minor wound to the stomach; another, an injury to the left ankle and another an injury below the sternum.

The Consul General for Cuba has been advised of the situation at the Detention Centre regarding the citizens of Cuba.

The Police are continuing with their investigation and three persons are being held to assist Police with their enquiries.

Immigration officials have transferred those suspected of deliberately fomenting the unrest to Her Majesty’s Prison for safekeeping.  They will remain there until their removal to their place of origin.

The Government remains committed to fulfilling its international obligations and will make efforts to repatriate all individuals at the Detention Centre as soon as possible, once those obligations are completed.

The public will be kept informed as the investigation unfolds.