A military procession will be held in honour of slain prison officer Richard Sandy today from his Pleasantville home to a church in the same district.
His eldest child, Sinead, 24, said her father's body will be brought to the house at Ibis Drive, around 9 am followed by a service at the St Barnabas Anglican Church at 10 am.
She said parking will be available at the Village Plaza and Cheshire Home and a shuttle service will be provided. Sandy will be laid to rest at Brothers Road Cemetery. Sandy, who would have celebrated his 47th birthday on Monday, was shot by an ex-convict who was recently released from prison on Saturday night at a bar at Caratal Road, Gasparillo.
He underwent emergency surgery during which doctors had to remove his right leg. However, around 4.20 am the following day Sandy, who suffered a massive amount of blood loss, passed away. His wife of 14 years Jennifer Sandy said her husband loved his job and even cared for the prisoners. He leaves to mourn his five children, ages 24 to two. Expressing outrage over Sandy's killing, Prison Officers Association president Ceron Richards held the government responsible for his murders.
He said for too long prison officers have been murdered, injured and threatened without little or no response from the Government. Richards called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, as head of the National Security Council, to respond to this critical situation immediately by drafting and implementing laws to protect prison officers.
As a result of the funeral, no visits from family and friends of inmates will be allowed at any of the nation's prisons to allow officers to attend the service.
A release issued by the Office of the Commissioner of Prisons confirmed the cancellations of visits and added that normal visitations will resume tomorrow.