Retired prison officer dies on fishing trip

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Macqueripe Bay, Chaguaramas. File photo/Jeff K Mayers

A retired prison officer died on Wednesday afternoon after he hit his head on a rock at Macqueripe beach.

Police said retired ASP Noel Phillip was on a fishing trip when the accident occurred.

In a media release on Thursday the Prison Service said Phillip enlisted in 1990 and was well known as a drill instructor at the Prisons Training College. He was promoted to assistant superintendent of prisons last year and was last assigned to the Prisons Training College as an acting superintendent of prisons before he went on pre-retirement leave.

Executive member of the Prison Officers Association Gerard Gordon praised Phillip in a Facebook post and recalled him making his entire batch do push-ups because someone dropped a baton.

Retired Port of Spain Prison Supt Noel Phillip

“Baton Drills in 1998. Instructor Mr. Noel Phillip. He sees someone drop their baton. The penalty for the entire squad is push-ups. Later on after training I asked ‘Why you made us do all those push-ups?’ He laughed and said his target was 200 per session. Even under his guidance he was always a gentleman and an exemplar. Feeling the same way now, as I felt when Mr Gaston Dick passed away. The good ones always leave us.”

The Prison Service extended condolences to Phillip’s family in its release, saying it hoped they are comforted at this time. It added that Phillip served with pride and was a shining example and a mentor to many.

The release said acting Commissioner of Prisons Deopersad Ramoutar was shocked by the news of Phillip’s death, noted Phillip’s love of life and the outdoors and the passion he displayed in his role as a prisons officer.

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