Guyana Prison Service highlights $4B modernisation drive at Lusignan

The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) states that more than $4 billion has been invested in the Lusignan Prison complex since 2020, with officials declaring that the funds were allocated to create facilities that meet international standards and prioritise rehabilitation over punishment. Appearing on the latest edition of Prison in Focus, a monthly programme produced by the service, senior officers underscored that the new headquarters and cell blocks are part of a long-term modernisation plan that is already reshaping how the country’s largest prison operates. Deputy Director of Prisons, Kevin Pilgrim, stated that it is a significant milestone for the service.
“That building was specifically designed with all of the features of a modern prison headquarters. Traditionally, all of the other buildings would have been; you have occupied those other buildings, but this was designed specifically for its purpose. But I just want to shift to, you talk about the dignity and the prison blocks in our modernisation drive, so we have eight pillars that are driving the strategic development of the service”, he said.

The new headquarters, which is worth over $400 million of the $4 billion is located within the Lusignan compound, and serves as a command centre for daily operations and monitoring. According to prison officials, the building is designed to integrate the latest security measures. “All of the surveillance feeds will come back to that centre,” one officer explained, noting that the hub gives administrators a “third eye” on activities across the facility. While much of the spending has gone into physical infrastructure, officials stressed that the investment is also tied to a philosophical shift. “[Being] sent to prison is the punishment, not sent to prison for punishment,” a senior administrator told the programme’s host. “We are transitioning to a correctional service.” The funds have supported the construction of vocational workshops, a new training wing for staff and spaces aimed at family reconciliation programmes. Officials said these additions are intended to prepare inmates for reintegration into society while improving conditions for officers working inside the facility. The Lusignan Prison currently houses close to 1300 inmates, making it the largest in the country. Officials argue that the scale of investment was necessary to manage such a population and reduce overcrowding.