Justice Minister Jerome Kennedy made another major change at Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John's Thursday with the replacement of a senior official.
Mary Alyward, who held the position of assistant superintendent at Her Majesty's Penitentiary, no longer works in the justice department.
Former corrections officer Donald Roche has been promoted to the assistant superintendent position.
The change comes after Graham Rogerson was named as acting superintendent of prisons last week, replacing John Scoville, who held the job since 2000.
Kennedy has yet to release a report into problems at the penitentiary that makes 77 recommendations of change at the institution.
Another top official replaced at HMP
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Published on
October 10, 2008
- Published on July 1, 2010
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Staff ~ The Telegram
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Comments
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- sandy
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:05:29
Why are these major changes being made ? I presume they are based on the recent report on the review of the Penitentiary. Why isn't this report made available to the public by the Minister of Justice?
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- Bert
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:05:25
Mr. Kennedy don't be foolish enough to let these comments made above bother you. If you did nothing they would be complaining the other way. You have only been in a year and already you are trying to fix things. What next??? It's the same people who complain about Danny and the ABC campaign. If he didn't fight for our rights these same people would say where is Danny? Why doesn't he fight Ottawa for what we lost in the Atlantic Accord? So you see Mr. Kennedy no matter what you do you will always have people like Sandy, BM and Randall who will fight you no matter what action you do or don't do. A word of advice IGNORE THEM!!!
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- concerned taxpayer
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:02:44
I guess they had to make changes to get the system back on track. Word on the street was that the superintendent was working in probation and never actually worked in a prison and had no experience before becoming head of prisons . The asst. superintendent hasn't worked as an officer for about 25 yrs and worked in classification for years before being a manager. She also worked at SCI and that closed down under her tenure there. I guess they were out of touch with front line workers and their concerns were ignored. The director also recently retired and he was responsible for this mess as well. Friends of mine who work there said these changes are welcomed by the staff and inmates alike and that the new appointees are respected by both sides down there. I applaud Mr. Kennedy for intervening in the crisis situation down there before someone gets killed. As a taxpayer I wish he could handle health care portfolio too!
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- Gerry
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:02:03
They will leave with a Golden Hand-Shake or another nice position, Thanks to the Taxpayers of Newfoundland & Labrador.Leave Empty Handed, Are You Kidding?
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- tom
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:57:25
Its about time something was done to shake up the management down there. Now there are managers in place who will treat the staff fairly and provide them with a cleaner,safer work environment. At times they say the workers were treated worse than the inmates ever were by senior managers. There was a culture of guilty until proven innocent and the attitude that improvements cant be made because it costs money. If these people did their jobs then they would still be there ,but obviously the place fell apart around them and they did nothing.
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- b
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:55:37
Like everthing else that happens in Newfoundland's Government, they want to sweep it under the rug and not talk aobut it in hopes the people will forget about it. How many scandals have gone on and people who we are suppose to look up to knew about it? Time for all this to come out and a better procedure be put in place.
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- Brian
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:49:12
Great appointment as assistant superintendent; Donny Roche, is a very understanding and decent person. I've known Donny for a long time playing hockey against him in the old St. John's East league, and he was always a honest player. His former work down in the trenches at the Pen will make him an experienced and knowledgeable appointment. Jerome Kennedy has made an excellent choice, Roche will prove to be as ethical as you can get.
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- Larry
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:43:29
I feel that Jerome Kennedy has made some really positive change to the HMP system by replacing from the top. Leaders of such institutions should be men/women who have worked the trenches and see the actual work and conditions that all inmates and staff have to live and work in. Personally having worked for many years with Graham Rogerson and Donnie Roche I commend Jerome Kennedy and the Danny Williams government in the choices they have made.
I also want to add that you will not see HMP back in to the media again until something else goes wrong as the negative is all that gets attention by the media. All the good that gets done by the staff either as a group or individually never gets any media attention. Never have I seen how any inmate was helped by staff or any lives saved by correctional staff but I personally witnessed both. Of course the above is looked at by most of the public as the staff are just doing their jobs. The public at large nor the media have experienced the stress that these staff members work under.
In future I would like to see the Telegram and other media at least try to publish or air some of the positive things that happen.
OOPS they can't do that as positive things happening in a negative enviroment do not make great headlines. -
- Bob
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:42:31
It appears as if Mr Kennedy is being given the latitude to make some decisions to clean up a system that obviously needs some help. If he is successful I would hope that he is shuffled into the Health portfolio so he can do likewise.
Mr Williams would do well to surround himself with more capable ministers instead of some of the yes-men, hangers on and wannabe's he currently has there. -
- Randall
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:42:23
What happens to these people who 'no longer work' in the dept.? Do they get any compensation? Or do they just walk away from their job with nothing?
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- david
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:40:56
ummm HMP is a penitentiary. criminals go there because they broke the law. why are we wrapped up around the axial because its old and in bad shape...what next? we going to suggest criminals shouldn't be punished at all?
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- retired c.o.
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:40:33
Sandy I guess the report isn't released yet due to ongoing planning to rectify the problems. I guess there will be things left out due to security issues. Remember they are dealing with a medium/maximum security prison down there not the Avalon Mall. Ive been retired for a couple of yrs now from Hmp and I left due to the ill treatment of staff by some managers. Some lower managers were told by the top brass not to have a cup of coffee with line staff or don't even chat with them. How else can you find out what is happening in the place if you dont ask your front line staff? That approach turned me from the place and I left earlier than I wanted to. Those people I worked with are earning a living and didn't do anything wrong to deserve such treatment and lack of respect.
Make no mistake that that prison is a very dangerous place to work or to do time in. A lot of violence has occurred when I worked there and it seems like its getting worse. -
- Conrad.
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:39:44
From what i know about HMP it should have been replaced years ago. one look at the outside gate tells the whole story.
i am sure their are locations in St.John's close to the Courts that could be used for a new Penitentiary, As a former NYPD
Officer i thought the Tombs in NYC were bad they are a hotel compared to HMP St John's. Just my opinion ! -
- Carlson
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:39:26
I agree with Bert 100%. Some people can not be satisfied. Maybe he hasn't released the report yet because he wants to deal with the issues and correct them first. Give the man a chance to do something good.
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- sandy
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:55:35
Why are these major changes being made ? I presume they are based on the recent report on the review of the Penitentiary. Why isn't this report made available to the public by the Minister of Justice?
-
- Bert
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:55:27
Mr. Kennedy don't be foolish enough to let these comments made above bother you. If you did nothing they would be complaining the other way. You have only been in a year and already you are trying to fix things. What next??? It's the same people who complain about Danny and the ABC campaign. If he didn't fight for our rights these same people would say where is Danny? Why doesn't he fight Ottawa for what we lost in the Atlantic Accord? So you see Mr. Kennedy no matter what you do you will always have people like Sandy, BM and Randall who will fight you no matter what action you do or don't do. A word of advice IGNORE THEM!!!
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- concerned taxpayer
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:51:42
I guess they had to make changes to get the system back on track. Word on the street was that the superintendent was working in probation and never actually worked in a prison and had no experience before becoming head of prisons . The asst. superintendent hasn't worked as an officer for about 25 yrs and worked in classification for years before being a manager. She also worked at SCI and that closed down under her tenure there. I guess they were out of touch with front line workers and their concerns were ignored. The director also recently retired and he was responsible for this mess as well. Friends of mine who work there said these changes are welcomed by the staff and inmates alike and that the new appointees are respected by both sides down there. I applaud Mr. Kennedy for intervening in the crisis situation down there before someone gets killed. As a taxpayer I wish he could handle health care portfolio too!
-
- Gerry
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:50:47
They will leave with a Golden Hand-Shake or another nice position, Thanks to the Taxpayers of Newfoundland & Labrador.Leave Empty Handed, Are You Kidding?
-
- tom
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:44:53
Its about time something was done to shake up the management down there. Now there are managers in place who will treat the staff fairly and provide them with a cleaner,safer work environment. At times they say the workers were treated worse than the inmates ever were by senior managers. There was a culture of guilty until proven innocent and the attitude that improvements cant be made because it costs money. If these people did their jobs then they would still be there ,but obviously the place fell apart around them and they did nothing.
-
- b
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:42:01
Like everthing else that happens in Newfoundland's Government, they want to sweep it under the rug and not talk aobut it in hopes the people will forget about it. How many scandals have gone on and people who we are suppose to look up to knew about it? Time for all this to come out and a better procedure be put in place.
-
- Brian
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:31:00
Great appointment as assistant superintendent; Donny Roche, is a very understanding and decent person. I've known Donny for a long time playing hockey against him in the old St. John's East league, and he was always a honest player. His former work down in the trenches at the Pen will make him an experienced and knowledgeable appointment. Jerome Kennedy has made an excellent choice, Roche will prove to be as ethical as you can get.
-
- Larry
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:21:37
I feel that Jerome Kennedy has made some really positive change to the HMP system by replacing from the top. Leaders of such institutions should be men/women who have worked the trenches and see the actual work and conditions that all inmates and staff have to live and work in. Personally having worked for many years with Graham Rogerson and Donnie Roche I commend Jerome Kennedy and the Danny Williams government in the choices they have made.
I also want to add that you will not see HMP back in to the media again until something else goes wrong as the negative is all that gets attention by the media. All the good that gets done by the staff either as a group or individually never gets any media attention. Never have I seen how any inmate was helped by staff or any lives saved by correctional staff but I personally witnessed both. Of course the above is looked at by most of the public as the staff are just doing their jobs. The public at large nor the media have experienced the stress that these staff members work under.
In future I would like to see the Telegram and other media at least try to publish or air some of the positive things that happen.
OOPS they can't do that as positive things happening in a negative enviroment do not make great headlines. -
- Bob
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:19:49
It appears as if Mr Kennedy is being given the latitude to make some decisions to clean up a system that obviously needs some help. If he is successful I would hope that he is shuffled into the Health portfolio so he can do likewise.
Mr Williams would do well to surround himself with more capable ministers instead of some of the yes-men, hangers on and wannabe's he currently has there. -
- Randall
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:19:36
What happens to these people who 'no longer work' in the dept.? Do they get any compensation? Or do they just walk away from their job with nothing?
-
- david
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:17:16
ummm HMP is a penitentiary. criminals go there because they broke the law. why are we wrapped up around the axial because its old and in bad shape...what next? we going to suggest criminals shouldn't be punished at all?
-
- retired c.o.
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:16:37
Sandy I guess the report isn't released yet due to ongoing planning to rectify the problems. I guess there will be things left out due to security issues. Remember they are dealing with a medium/maximum security prison down there not the Avalon Mall. Ive been retired for a couple of yrs now from Hmp and I left due to the ill treatment of staff by some managers. Some lower managers were told by the top brass not to have a cup of coffee with line staff or don't even chat with them. How else can you find out what is happening in the place if you dont ask your front line staff? That approach turned me from the place and I left earlier than I wanted to. Those people I worked with are earning a living and didn't do anything wrong to deserve such treatment and lack of respect.
Make no mistake that that prison is a very dangerous place to work or to do time in. A lot of violence has occurred when I worked there and it seems like its getting worse. -
- Conrad.
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:15:10
From what i know about HMP it should have been replaced years ago. one look at the outside gate tells the whole story.
i am sure their are locations in St.John's close to the Courts that could be used for a new Penitentiary, As a former NYPD
Officer i thought the Tombs in NYC were bad they are a hotel compared to HMP St John's. Just my opinion ! -
- Carlson
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:14:40
I agree with Bert 100%. Some people can not be satisfied. Maybe he hasn't released the report yet because he wants to deal with the issues and correct them first. Give the man a chance to do something good.
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