Released prisoners completed significant portion of sentences – GPS

All prisoners who were released early had already served a significant portion of their sentences.
This was revealed by acting Director of Prisons Nicklon Elliot, who, in a statement on Tuesday, said the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) has noted, with some concern, attempts by some persons on social media to deliberately misconstrue and to cast aspersion on the act of the Special Remissions granted to the former inmates.
Back in November, the Prison Service had released some 65 prisoners as part of the Special Remissions Programme, and it is now clarified that those former inmates had almost completed their sentences prior to being released.
Elliot added on Tuesday, “The Guyana Prison Service wishes to clarify that the Special Remission was granted as required under the Prison Act, Chapter 11:01, the Laws of Guyana, to deserving inmates based on the time served, good behaviour, and rehabilitation.”
He noted that the Special Remission was delayed due to circumstances beyond the control of the Prison Service, and also arising out of the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic. He added that the time remaining for the respective sentences served by released inmates was below three months for all cases considered.
Special Remission was granted for five major, nine serious, and 51 minor offences.
“The Prison Directorate wishes to reiterate that the inmates were selected based on the time served in prison, and are considered not likely to be of a risk to society. We hope that this information clears up any doubts surrounding the releases,” he declared.
On Wednesday last, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn said in Parliament that all 65 of the prisoners who were released have served one-third of their respective sentences and have displayed commendable behaviour.
The inmates were serving time for a number of offences, including manslaughter, causing death by dangerous driving, abduction, armed robbery, robbery, unlawful and malicious wounding, unlawful assault, trafficking in cannabis, and trafficking of cocaine, among other offences.
Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, had said the decision was taken to provide more space for prisoners as the Prison Service implements the COVID-19 measures.
In October, more than 290 inmates of the Lusignan Prison had tested positive for the coronavirus disease. Several prison officers were also affected. The affected inmates were isolated, and some were relocated to other facilities to ensure adequate spacing among prisoners, to stem transmission of the disease.