Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander has confirmed that Commissioner of Prisons Carlos Corraspe and another senior prison official have been placed on immediate leave after allegations surfaced that businessman Dominic Hadeed was receiving preferential treatment while incarcerated at Golden Grove Prison.It is alleged that Hadeed is being afforded the privilege of watching World Cup football matches.The claims are documented in a letter sent to Corraspe last Friday by Prison Officers Association general secretary Lester Logie .The letter, titled: “Re: Unequal Treatment of Detainees and Resulting Security Risks to Prison Officers”, was copied to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Alexander.The Express learnt that after the letter was issued, Corraspe and another senior prison officer were immediately sent on leave.Contacted yesterday for comment, Alexander confirmed that he had sight of the letter, adding that relatives of other detainees had also lodged complaints.He said a decision was taken to send the Commissioner of Prisons and a senior prison official on leave.The Express also contacted Corraspe by phone yesterday and asked him about the letter and being sent on leave.He responded: “I have no comment to make concerning these matters, please.”The letter alleges that Hadeed received preferential treatment while being held under a Preventive Detention Order, including access to table visits, viewing World Cup matches on television, movement within the Prison Administration Building at Golden Grove, access to the airing yard after permitted hours and the assignment of a dedicated Prison Officer II.Established security protocols Logie pointed out these arrangements have created resentment among other detainees, raised security concerns for prison officers and undermined confidence in the fairness of prison administration.He formally expressed the Association’s deep concern regarding the alleged unequal and preferential treatment being afforded to Hadeed, which he claimed had been observed by multiple officers in the Prison Service.“This week, officers reported seeing Mr Hadeed inside the Prison Administration Building at Golden Grove, where he was permitted to receive table visits and to watch World Cup football on television. These privileges are not afforded to any other detainee held under Preventative Detention Orders, and they directly contradict established security protocols and long-standing administrative practice,” stated Logie.He added that a Prison Officer II was assigned specifically to Hadeed, despite the fact that the Condemned Divisions at the Port of Spain Prison remain without the required complement of Prison Officer IIs.“This disparity in resource allocation is untenable and raises serious questions about operational priorities and fairness,” he wrote.Logie stated that officers also observed Hadeed outside in the airing yard after 8.30 p.m., well beyond the permitted hours for detainees under Preventative Detention Orders.He stated that this level of unsanctioned movement was a clear breach of security and exposed officers to unnecessary risk and warned that other detainees were being affected by Hadeed’s preferential treatment.Significant tension Logie also alleged that Hadeed’s wife, Genevieve, who is being held at the Golden Grove Women’s Prison, was seen with Hadeed at the Prison Administration Building.“These actions have already created significant tension among other detainees, who have formed the view that they are being treated unfavourably and discriminatorily compared to Mr Hadeed and, to a lesser extent, his wife, who was also seen at the Prison Administration Building with him this week,” he stated.“Officers have reported heightened agitation among detainees at the Remand Prison, where he is located, which increases the likelihood of confrontation and compromises institutional safety,” he stated.He pointed out that another detainee at the Maximum Security Prison was denied medical entitlements approved by the Prison Medical Officer, reportedly by the Prison Commissioner’s office.Logie stated that this inconsistency further reinforced the perception of unequal treatment and undermined confidence in the fairness of administrative decisions.“Commissioner, all detainees must be treated equally, and all officers must be protected from avoidable risks arising from preferential practices. The current situation is unacceptable and requires immediate corrective action to restore procedural integrity, officer safety, and public confidence in the Prison Service,” he stated.He added that the Prison Commissioner should urgently:*Provide assurances that all detainees under Preventative Detention Orders will be treated uniformly.*Reaffirm and enforce the established security protocols governing detainee movement, visits and access to facilities.*Address the staffing imbalance affecting critical divisions such as the Condemn Sections at Port of Spain Prison.Logie stated that the Association expected prompt intervention to prevent further erosion of discipline and to safeguard the welfare of officers who continue to serve under increasingly challenging conditions.Threats to prison officers The Express contacted Logie yesterday, who explained that he wrote the letter after a threat was made against the lives of prison officers.“One of the detainees told a superintendent that all he want to do is get a phone because he is seeing the treatment Hadeed is getting,” he said.Asked what he meant by this, Logie said the prisoner intended to arrange hits on prison officers.He noted that this is an issue prison officers have grappled with in the past, recalling a case in which a superintendent was killed because he refused to bring wild meat into the prison for an inmate.He said there was a need for an in-depth investigation into what was happening and for more proactive measures to be taken to protect prison officers.