The (acting) Director of Prisons, Mr Gladwin Samuels, has said the expansion of the Mazaruni Prison is moving apace.
In the 2018 National Budget, the sum of $1.5 billion has been allocated to the Guyana Prison Service, a sizeable amount of which will go towards continuing the expansion of the prison with construction of a new brick wing to house an additional 400 inmates. The penitentiary currently houses 452.
According to the Department of Public Information, Samuels explained that in
Director of Prisons (ag), Gladwin Samuels
keeping with the expansion, twelve new family quarters have recently been constructed on the compound of the prison. These quarters are a prerequisite to the construction of the new brick penitentiary. They will house the additional prison officers that would be needed to manage the expected increase in prison population.
“Most people (prison officers have) expressed concerns as it relates to being transferred, because they have to leave their families behind; and taking that into consideration, the need for additional housing — and appropriate housing for persons who would have to leave the comfort of their homes — has been considered, and that resulted in the initial construction of 12 houses; and we will be doing eight additional houses in 2018,” Samuels stated.
The Director of Prisons (acting) also disclosed that, come 2018, the facility will also benefit from 24 hours’ electricity.
According to Samuels, the move to have 24 hours of electricity is one that will prove to have multiple benefits, especially to the inmates who are part of the skills training programme that is being offered by the prison.
