Is Belize Central Prison Fit for Diabetic Inmates?

Convicted attorney Oscar Selgado was back in court today where his legal team is challenging the conditions at the Belize Central Prison.  Selgado, who is yet to be sentenced after being found guilty of abetment to commit murder, is a diabetic and says that he is having a hard time in jail given his illness.  In recent appearances before the High Court, Selgado has complained about the medication being administered to him, as well as the food being fed to him behind prison walls.  This afternoon, several prison officials, including Chief Executive Officer Virgilio Murillo and doctor Javier Novelo, were questioned about the existing conditions at the facility.  Following today’s session, attorney Arthur Saldivar spoke with reporters.

 

Arthur Saldivar, Attorney-at-law

“When the doctor tells you that he does not get the ability to taste the diabetic food himself, and the man responsible for the prison also tells you that he doesn’t eat prison food, one cannot be confident in the quality of food; one, that inmates with diabetic conditions receive at the prison.  And when you get to appreciate that of the total compliment of medical staff of fourteen, there are only six civilian staff with no nurses and eight inmates who are unpaid, with one doctor, for a population of more than one thousand, two hundred and fifty, a ratio of more than ninety inmates to one medical personnel, so-called, with limited training, most of them, no man, it’s a travesty.  It’s a travesty.”

 

Reporter

You raised the cases of, I believe two prisoners in particular, Mr. Abadi, there may have been three that you mentioned, but then the prison officials and the CEO countered, and the doctor as well, that he died because he stopped eating and was suffering from depression.

 

Arthur Saldivar

“Well, if the quality of food is so poor that it can barely be stomached, I don’t believe that anyone would be capable of eating it.  It’s really remarkable that the prison official brought a list of twelve persons who are the persons affected with diabetes, but we know of two persons that have died, who have also suffered diabetes.  That’s a high death rate in terms of percentage of persons with diabetes.”