Prison Service welcomes 26 new ranks as reform efforts continue

Themed “Changing Mindset and Culture for Corrections 2025,” the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) on Wednesday welcomed 26 new prison officers into its ranks following the completion of Basic Recruit Training Course (BRTC) No 1/2025.
The new officers, comprising 18 men and eight women drawn from various communities, were formally inducted during a graduation ceremony held at the Prison Training Centre in Mazaruni.
Their training, which spanned three months, covered both theoretical and practical aspects of correctional work, including prison management fundamentals, human rights education, armed and unarmed combat, family life training, observation skills, and understanding of the GPS’s rules and regulations.
Acting Deputy Director of Prisons and Head of the Staff Training Department, Kevin Pilgrim, delivered the feature address. He reminded the graduates that their roles carry tremendous responsibility and that their conduct must reflect the values of the service.
“You must lead by positive example, act with integrity at all times, and resist any and all influence to engage in or facilitate criminal activity,” Pilgrim told the new officers. He noted that the prison system continues to face challenges, but remains committed to its mandate to hold, habilitate, and rehabilitate inmates.
He further encouraged the recruits to practice the discipline instilled in them, uphold high moral standards, and demonstrate leadership throughout their careers.
“Strive for excellence and seize every opportunity to contribute to the continued positive transformation of the Prison Service,” he added.
This is the second group of new officers to be absorbed into the system within eight months. In November 2024, the GPS had welcomed 36 recruits under BRTC No. 1/2024 during a passing-out ceremony held at the Guyana Fire Service Headquarters tarmac. That intake also followed months of rigorous instruction.
At that earlier ceremony, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn had emphasised that prison officers are not only custodians of inmates but also facilitators of rehabilitation. He urged them to act with professionalism and integrity as they assist in preparing inmates for reintegration into society.
With 62 new officers now added to the ranks between November 2024 and June 2025, the Guyana Prison Service said it is steadily advancing its efforts to modernize correctional operations and reinforce its core mission of custody, care, and rehabilitation.