101 officers promoted to strengthen leadership in Prison Service

The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) has strengthened its leadership with the promotion of some 101 officers, whom, according to Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond, are now entrusted with greater responsibilities.
This approved promotion is the most comprehensive advancement exercise within the Prison Service in recent years and aims at strengthening correctional leadership and institutional stability.

According to the Home Affairs Ministry, the promotions span supervisory, administrative, and technical levels to expand command capacity, improve middle-management oversight, and advance security and rehabilitative reforms nationwide.
Among the approved promotions are five Superintendents of Prisons, 13 Assistant Superintendents of Prisons, two Cadet Officers (Internal) on probation, 17 Chief Prison Officers, 28 Principal Prison Officers II, 23 Principal Prison Officers I, 12 Prison Trade Instructors, and one Coxswain.
These promotions, which were made after thorough administrative and procedural reviews, have now restored structured career progression, improved succession planning, and strengthened operational accountability across correctional facilities.
The Ministry noted that the prison service modernisation in recent years saw major investments in human capital alongside physical upgrades to enhance the institution’s capacity to provide secure custody and advance structured rehabilitation.
According to Minister Walrond, determination, hard work, and merit deserve recognition – something which she says was reflected in the promotion of these prison officers.
In extending congratulations to the 101 well-deserved officers, Walrond noted that their continued efforts play a vital role in maintaining security, upholding justice, and supporting rehabilitation efforts across the country.
“These promotions place trusted officers in positions of greater responsibility. Secure facilities and effective rehabilitation depend on their discipline, fairness, and daily commitment to lawful and humane custody,” the home affairs Minister noted.
Minister Walrond further urged those promoted officers to pursue continuous personal development, adding that advancement within the Prison Service must be accompanied by academic progression and skills-building.
The Home Affairs Ministry said it will continue advancing reforms to strengthen professional standards, protect officer welfare, and reinforce public confidence in correctional administration.

Comprehensive reform
Meanwhile, these promotions support a comprehensive reform programme that includes infrastructure modernisation at Lusignan, Mazaruni, and other facilities; enhanced security systems with electronic monitoring; professional training for more than 150 officers in 2026 in correctional management and human rights standards; and skills-based reintegration programmes to strengthen pathways for inmates.
In fact, the Guyanese Government has allocated some $141.8 million in Budget 2028 to continue prioritising inmate rehabilitation, vocational training and behavioural programmes aimed at addressing the underlying causes of criminal behaviour, while simultaneously providing support for successful inmate reintegration.
To date, over 1300 inmates have been trained in the areas of block making, carpentry, stress management, among others, while a total of 361 officers were trained in prison management practices.
In 2026, the GPS will be conducting comprehensive, advanced prison management and human rights training for 400 officers to ensure proficiencies aligned with the new correctional mandates, as well as train 1500 inmates in various areas to facilitate their reintegration into society.
This $141.8 million falls under the Prison Service’s $6 billion budget earmarked for this year, which also includes another $1.5 billion to further upgrade the prison infrastructure.
Last year, some $2.1 billion was spent on the upgrade of facilities at Mazaruni and New Amsterdam prisons, including a mess hall and living quarters, as well as completing the Lusignan prison headquarters along with several facilities, including a cell block, a female prison, and a fire suppression system.
These all fall under the Guyanese Government’s comprehensive plan of transforming the prison system into a modern correctional institution through extensive infrastructural upgrades and the consolidation of strategic facilities, thereby strengthening security and safety.