Lusignan Prison inmates refuse meals, hurl bricks at Joint Services – Director

…during disturbance over COVID-19

Prison Director Gladwin Samuels has announced that the news of a novel coronavirus infection in the Lusignan Prison created “some amount of disturbance” among the prisoners.
He explained that the inmates protested by refusing meals on Wednesday, vociferously expressing their concern about the presence of the virus in the prison.
They also hurled bricks and other objects at members of the Joint Services and they aggressively spoke about the need for speedier trials, and reduction and granting of bail for some categories of prisoners with minor offences.
The disturbance comes one day after Samuels announced that two prisoners at the Lusignan Holding Bay had tested positive for COVID-19.
The Officer-in-Charge of the facility, acting Senior Superintendent Deoraj Gyandat, supported by members of the Prison Directorate; other senior staff of the Guyana Prison Service (GPS); Senior Superintendent Khali Parsaram, Regional Commander (4C), as well as other senior and junior ranks of the Joint Services, was able to calm the prisoners and reassure them that steps were being taken to appease their situation at the location.
They were reassured that in partnership with the Health Ministry, testing would be done starting with persons who have been identified as contacts to those who tested positive. Testing has commenced.
Systematically, the rest of the prison population, including staff, will be tested. The Health Ministry has also come on board to aid with the daily sanitisation of the facility, which will be done using chemicals prescribed by the Ministry. This sanitisation, which has commenced, will be done thrice daily. Another quarantine facility has been established so that persons who test positive for COVID-19 can be separated and treated away from the rest of the prison population.
The Health Ministry has also deployed a team of doctors and nurses to complement the medical team of the GPS. They are also going to facilitate further training of prison personnel so that greater efficiency can be achieved with the daily sanitisation exercise.