Prison Service refuses assistance on training

Dear Editor,

The Central Advisory Services of Guyana and Barbados wishes to express its regret in relation to the offer made to the Guyana Prison Service, based on a needs assessment done by the agency, to have a former FBI Agent and a Former Director of the Bureau of Prisons to travel to Guyana free of cost to conduct a one week specialized training programme for senior ranks of the Prison Service.

Even though the offer was made since November 2016, and despite the CVs of the two (2) proposed presenters being sent to Prison Admin, Admin did not have the common courtesy to even send to CAS an acknowledgement letter.

In our letter to the Prison Director, dated November 2016 and copied to the subject Minister, it was requested that a response should be forthcoming within 30 days, in order for CAS and its international associates to confirm arrangements with the presenters, who in turn must seek approval from the US State Department. Regrettably, three (3) months later, not even an acknowledgement letter has been received.

Despite this development, CAS and its international associates will continue to do whatever it can to help the Criminal Justice System in Guyana know it’s riddled with defects. It is also public knowledge, by virtue of my instrumentality, that the Guyana Prison Service, Guyana Defence Force, ranks of the Police Force, GRA, Presidential Security, Guyana Energy Agency, GPL, and others too numerous to mention benefitted from specialized training on Security, Investigations and Intelligence. This was also made possible through my colleague, well known Criminologist Mr. Errol Vanooten MSC, BSC, ASC, who later served as task force head of the Ministry of Home Affairs under Mr. Rohee.

I again reiterate my commitment and that of those serving under my command, who are all former members of the disciplined service, to assist in the fight against crime, and our full support to the Government of the day.

Yours respectfully,

Allan Robert Gates