Regional prison leaders assemble in Guyana for senior correctional officers’ conference

– to use forum to share solutions, strengthen regional partnerships

Senior prison officials and correctional leaders from across the Caribbean are expected to gather in Guyana from Monday for one week aimed at strengthening collaboration and shaping the future of correctional services in the region.
The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) Senior Correctional Officers Conference 2026 will be held from March 16 to 21 under the theme “Fostering Growth, Driving Synergy, and Securing the Future of Corrections”. The event will bring together senior prison officials, regional partners and local stakeholders to discuss training, innovation and the ongoing transition of prison systems from traditional penal models to modern correctional frameworks. Speaking on the programme “Prison in Focus”, Deputy Director of Prisons Kevin Pilgrim explained that the conference represents the largest gathering of its kind since the initiative began in 2021 and reflects the service’s commitment to collaboration.

“It is an exciting conference for 2026. It is our largest conference since we would have started in 2021,” Pilgrim said, noting that the event grew out of retreats previously held by the service. He noted that while prison services across the Caribbean face similar challenges, the forum will provide an opportunity for leaders to share solutions and strengthen regional partnerships. Pilgrim said the event will also highlight Guyana’s ongoing efforts to transition towards a correctional system focused on rehabilitation and reintegration. “Just like no man is an island, no service is an island,” he said, adding that the conference was designed to bring correctional leaders together as the service continues. Head of Strategic Management, Rae Dawn Corbin, revealed that participants from 14 countries are expected to attend the conference, including several heads of correctional services and senior Government officials. “Basically, 14 regional participants from 14 countries,” Corbin said, noting that the conference will also include “the Honourable Minister of Peace and National Security from Jamaica” along with several heads of prison services. Corbin noted that one of the key highlights will be a roundtable session involving heads of prison services, where participants will examine collaborative approaches to addressing regional issues within correctional institutions. “The truth of the matter is we all face the same challenges,” she explained, adding that the conference aims to produce practical solutions and actionable plans rather than simply facilitating discussion. The conference agenda will include an opening ceremony, a corrections expo, stakeholder collaboration forums, networking sessions, workshops and think-tank discussions. Participants will also take part in a tour of the Lusignan Prison, where officials will showcase ongoing infrastructure developments and modernisation efforts within the GPS. In addition, two programmes developed in collaboration with the University of Guyana (UG), a Correctional Leadership Programme and a Mental Health Programme are expected to be launched during the conference. Officials say these initiatives are intended to strengthen professional development for correctional officers both locally and across the region. The conference will conclude with a wrap-up session and formal dinner, with organisers hoping the event will further position Guyana as a key contributor to correctional reform and cooperation within the Caribbean.
In recent years, the GPS has undergone significant reforms aimed at modernising the country’s prison system and shifting its focus from a traditional penal approach to a correctional model that emphasises rehabilitation and reintegration. Part of that transformation includes major infrastructure upgrades at the Lusignan Prison, where several new facilities have been constructed to enhance security, inmate classification, and rehabilitation programmes. The Lusignan facility is among the locations being showcased to regional delegates attending the conference. Authorities have also been working to update the country’s legal framework governing prisons. The Government has indicated that plans are underway to replace the decades-old Prison Act of 1957 with modern legislation that places greater emphasis on rehabilitation, structured inmate programmes, and reintegration into society.