Camp Street was a tragedy waiting to happen

By Ralph Ramkarran On In Conversation Tree |

There are approximately 2,000 prisoners in the five facilities in Georgetown, New Amsterdam, Mazaruni, Lusignan and Timehri. Of these 35 per cent are on remand awaiting trial. The Georgetown Prison at Camp Street was designed to accommodate 600 prisoners but holds nearly 1,000. Violent incidents or escapes have occurred in Georgetown, New Amsterdam and Mazaruni in the past. There was always a great fear among those responsible for security that Camp Street could explode at any time. The problem of overcrowding was well known.

20131117ralphThe recent studies and reports are as follows:

  1. In 2001 a comprehensive report by a British team on prison reform was made. It found overcrowding, violations of human rights, inadequate alternatives to incarceration, poor conditions for prisoners and staff and minimal scope for rehabilitation.
  2. In 2001 the Guyana Prison Service produced a ten-year Strategic Development Plan for 2001-2011 after reports, workshops, retreats and visits.
  3. In 2002 the Carter Center presented a report calling for a review of the criminal justice system including the system of imprisonment.
  4. Also in 2002 the Kennard Commission of Inquiry into the February 2002 jailbreak concluded that it would not have occurred if the prisoners had been transferred to Mazaruni.
  5. In 2004 the Report of the Disciplined Services Commission chaired by Justice Ian Chang made 28 recommendations for improvements to the prisons, increased staff, increasing the capacity of Mazaruni to deal with dangerous prisoners and others.
  6. In 2009 a 68-page report made by a team led by Lloyd Nickram, a Management Specialist in the Public Service Ministry, made much the same recommendations as the previous reports and identified the main cause of chronic overcrowding as the large number of remands and imprisonment for petty crimes. (See SN Feb 25, 2010).
  7. The Georgetown Prison Visiting Committee reports every year to the Minister repeating the same litany of overcrowding and other problems.

Having regard to all of the studies and reports outlined above, any further investigation into prison conditions by the