The Government Information Agency (GINA) reported two senior officials as claiming that the article, in particular the headline, is a clear misrepresentation of the truth.

It said Director of Prisons, Mr. Dale Erskine reiterated that more that 90 per cent of the recommendations coming out of the Report of 99 has been implemented.

Erskine's claim was supported by head of the Public Sector Security, Mr. Joseph Quamina, the agency said.

The two officials, however, admitted a few recommendations that have to be "legislatively enshrined before they can see the light of day" are still outstanding.

These include the `No Go Zone Area' outside the Georgetown Prison, where anyone found without permission would be shot on the spot by trained marksmen.

In addition, understaffing, an age-old problem in the Prison Service, has not yet been rectified except that the intake of female prison officers has been reduced, GINA said.

The intake of male prison officers is now 20 per cent higher than the intake of females, it added.