Secure institution, reform offender – Pre Ali tells prison officers

…urges discipline, professionalism

President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Monday challenged officers of the Guyana Prison Service to strengthen their role as guardians of justice and security, urging them to embrace professionalism, discipline, and reform as the cornerstone of their duties.
Addressing the Senior Officers’ Conference of the Guyana Prison Service, President Ali emphasized that the prison system is an indispensable pillar of Guyana’s national security framework, equal in importance to the Police Force, Fire Service, Defense Force, and other specialized units.

“The Guyana Prison Service is in no way inferior to the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Defence Force, or the Guyana Fire Service. It is an indispensable pillar of our national security and justice architecture,” he said.
The Head of State underscored the dual mandate of the service: securely managing inmates while preparing them for reintegration into society.
“Effective prison management ensures that convicted offenders are secured but not only secured, securely confined; that remand prisoners are held safely while awaiting the due process of the courts; and that inmates are rehabilitated so they can return to society as law-abiding citizens,” President Ali stated.
Shedding light on the broader impact of prison management on public safety and the justice system, President Ali said the prison system needs to be a strong one.
“Without a strong and professional prison system, the entire chain of justice from investigation to conviction would be incomplete, and the stability of our national security framework would be undermined.”
The President also stressed that officers must act as agents of positive change, both within correctional facilities and in the communities they serve.
“Every act of professionalism inside your correctional facilities contributes to a safer Guyana. The work you do protects society. It upholds the authority of the courts, and it gives men and women who have strayed from the law the opportunity to return to the straight and lawful path,” he said.
During his time at the microphone, he outlined a clear mandate for officers, anchored on three guiding principles, discipline, reform, and safety.
“Let our guiding principle towards inmates, therefore, be discipline in custody, reform in character, and safety for society,” Ali said.
He added a personal charge to the men and women in attendance, saying: “Secure the institution, reform the offender, and protect the nation. When the history of this period is written, let it be said that the officers of the Guyana Prison Service rose to the challenge, that they strengthened the integrity of their institutions, that they upheld the highest standards of discipline and professionalism, and that they helped transform our prisons into true correctional institutions. And they were the architect of the first prison avoidance system in the globe. This responsibility rests with each of you. The nation is counting on you.”
President Ali framed the conference not only as a platform for reflection but also as a roadmap for the future of the prison service, emphasizing integrity, operational excellence, and community engagement.