Junior National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds had l0l recruits at the passing out parade and ceremony at the Golden Grove Prison, Arouca last Friday evening standing for close to 15 minutes under a black cloud in drizzling rain as they waited for him to inspect the parade. Hinds created some tense moments for Commissioner of Prisons John Rougier, who kept looking at the watch as the recruits were kept standing at attention in the light rain for Hinds to arrive. The ceremony which was due to start promptly at 3.30 p.m. did not get underway until 4.45 p.m. when Hinds strolled in calmly, making no apology for his late arrival. "He always late for some function," one reporter noted. Hinds inspected the parade and presented awards to selected officers. He later addressed the male and female recruits who became full-fledged prisons officers after weeks of training. Rougier, in his address, warned that any threat to the safety of prisons officers and their families would not be tolerated because when their intelligence systems become more developed, more sophisticated, any such activity would be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. He noted that the Service have had to reckon with one too many of those officers who have tarnished their character and the Service's image by indulging in corrupt and illegal activities -- trafficking (drugs) chief among them. "These officers who sacrificed the safety and well being of their fellow officers -- of you and her and him and me -- and quite unwittingly jeopardised the lives of their own families and countless others. "I say this would not simply not be tolerated," he told the officers. Among the guests who attended the function were Appeal Court Judge Stanley John, Prisons Medical Officers Dr. Emmanuel Hosein, Dr. Vinod Mahabir and his wife Senator Parvatee Anmolsingh-Mahabir, three former Prison Commissioners, R.T. Charles, Leo Abraham, Ciprani Baptiste, Comptroller of Customs Fitzroy John and his wife, Hazel, and families of the recruits.