Plans underway to promote professionalism in prison system – Min Benn

— training of young inmates also in cards

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn has announced that the PPP/C Government is currently working on improving the prison system in Guyana, by ensuring officers operate in a more professional manner while also showing empathy to inmates.

He made this revelation during his contribution to the ongoing National Budget Debates at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
“I have repeatedly told the officers that I do not want prisoners beaten, I do not want their food taken away. I have requested that the prison system plant 4000 fruit trees to help improve the diet of the prisoners, I have asked the Minister of Agriculture for four shade houses to act as nurseries and I have said prisoners should be able to get a banana and an egg regularly,” the Minister said.
He added that the Government’s responsibility is to rehabilitate prisoners so that they can be reintegrated into society.
Some $5 billion has been earmarked for the Guyana Prison Service in this year’s budget. Of that amount, $50 million will be used to train inmates in the areas of anger management, literacy, agriculture, and culinary arts.
Additionally, 30 incarcerated youths will benefit from digital skills training to support rehabilitation and social transformation upon their release.
Nevertheless, with the efforts of addressing overcrowding in the prisons, the Home Affairs Ministry’s aim is to ensure that all inmates are housed properly.
In the new week, the construction of three new blocks at the Lusignan Prison will commence, which should be able to accommodate some 600 prisoners.
Sections of the prison were destroyed after inmates set it on fire over arguments of cannabis found.

It was reported that narcotics, cellphones and other contraband items were found by an investigative team during cell sweeps and tension subsequently broke out between prison officers and inmates.
An explosion was heard moments later and the fire erupted. The fire caused damage mainly to the administrative building and an old building that was formerly used to house inmates.
The fire was said to have spread quickly due to the old, wooden buildings in the compound. The fire service was able to extinguish the fire before it got to the prison.
Meanwhile, the 2021 National budget also caters for the completion of a new building at the Mazaruni Prison to accommodate 220 high-profile inmates in the first quarter of the year. Works are also underway at the New Amsterdam penitentiary.