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Interim report on escape of VMs completed
The Commissioner of Correctional Services has submitted to the Secretary for Security the interim report on the escape of 90 Vietnamese migrants (VMs) from High Island Detention Centre which took place in the early hours of July 16. The report was compiled by the Board of Enquiry appointed by the Commissioner to investigate into the circumstances of the escape.
Chaired by an assistant commissioner, the four-member Board has interviewed all the staff concerned, the recaptured VMs and a number of other VMs who were able to provide information about the incident.
The Board learnt that the heavy downpours during the night of July 15 had forced the staff to take shelter in the sentry posts during most of their duty hours.
It was believed that the tampering of the perimeter fence took place between 2 am to 3 am on July 16 when two to three VMs cut an opening in the inner and outer perimeter fences with a pair of pliers. When the officer on duty at Post 10 made the report to the Control Room, more than 70 VMs had already escaped.
The investigation revealed that only two to three VMs planned the escape. The others followed suit simply because the openings were there.
The majority of the recaptured VMs claimed that they ran away because they were afraid of the impending Orderly Repatriation Programme. Others claimed that they wanted to get a job, or to visit friends and relatives, or simply to have a look outside.
The Board concluded that the incident was a result of inclement weather, staff negligence and lax supervision at the middle management level. Specific recommendations concerning these findings will be made in the final report which is expected to be submitted by August 12.
The Board also reviewed the security measures of the detention centre and found that they are adequate. To further strengthen these measures, the Board has made some recommendations. These include the reinforcement of perimeter patrol, improvement of the servis recording system, search for the pair of pliers used to cut the fences, enhancement of management supervision and strengthening of the perimeter fencing.
Some of these recommendations have already been implemented by the Correctional Services Department while others are being implemented.