His Excellency, the Governor, Mr Duncan Taylor presented 19 prison officers with level 3 Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) in custodial care on Tuesday, November 29, 2011.

The officers were among 30 staff from Her Majesty’s Cayman Islands Prison Service to complete the training programme. Also receiving their certificates from the Governor were three officers who had qualified as A1 assessors for the programme, and a further three who had qualified as internal verifiers/ assessors. Assessors evaluate candidates work while internal verifiers are responsible for quality control in the assessment process.

Begun in 2008, under the late Commissioner of Corrections Dr William Rattray, the SVQ programme is funded jointly by the Cayman Islands Prison Service and the Office of the Governor and delivered through the Service.

Mr Taylor, who is responsible for internal security matters in the Cayman Islands, said that his office was extremely pleased to have been able to contribute to this positive development for the Islands’ prison system.

Quality Enhancement Manager for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) which accredits the certification, Veronica Kirk, observed that the qualification would allow the officers to work within the Scottish prisons system. Ms Kirk had recently visited the prison service training centre to ensure that it met SQA standards.

The 11 mandatory classes necessary for successful completion of the course focused on issues such as maintaining security, contributions to the adjudication process, reducing risks to health and safety, maintaining and developing knowledge, skills and competence, searching individuals and supporting individuals in custody to take part in purposeful activities.  Training was delivered by specialist staff at the Prison Service, in conjunction with the SQA.

A further 25 officers are still enrolled in the programme with five more expected to begin in a matter of days. Prison Director Dwight Scott said that eventually all operational staff from Northward and Fairbanks Prisons would be required to complete the course.