Published 27 November 2017
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Prison chief tenure still uncertain following
meeting with national security officials Friday
Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 27, 2017 – Two months after information surfaced, followed by a denial, that Superintendent of Her Majesty’s Prison, Mr. Juni “Scrape” Hodge had been forced out from the post, multiple reports Friday said he has been removed from the post.
An October 5th news reports said Hodge after 20 months on the job was forced out after a verbal clash with Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris.
Hours after, Hodge denied the report telling SKNVIBES and Times Caribbean, both controlled by the Team Unity government that there is no truth in the rumour “and since waking up this morning (October 5, 2017) I am still the Superintendent of Prisons.”
“I don’t know about drawing the Prime Minister into it – that would be their issue and the Prime Minister’s. Probably there might be persons within the institution who wants to be the head, and they would have started that…that I was forced out,” Hodge is quoted by SKNVIBES.
Times Caribbean reported: “Hodge confirmed that he did not receive any letter from any individual indicating that he was terminated. Hodge did indicate however that he is currently on vacation and Deputy Superintendent Connor is Acting in his absence.”
Friday afternoon (November 24, 2017) a source knowledgeable of the latest development indicated that “Hodge was called to a meeting with Harris and the Permanent Secretary Osmond Petty and informed he was being removed from his post.”
The source could not state definitively whether the Harris mentioned at the meeting was Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr. Harris or the prime minister’s brother, a senior officer at Her Majesty’s Prison.
Buckiegotit online news also reported Friday afternoon that Hodge “went to meet with the PS and was told not to go back after his vacation is up.”
“It is true that they finally decide to get Superintendent Scrape Hodge out of the prison,” was one of the comment sent to and posted by Buckiegotit.
Attempts to get the situation on Hodge’s tenure clarified by the authorities were futile.
Photo 1 – Juni Scrape Hodge
Photo 2 – Osmond Petty
Photo 3 – Dr. Timothy Harris
