In a bid to stem the continued flow of contraband into the prison system, the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) is now offering monetary incentives to its members for information that can lead to the detection of possible collusion between ranks and inmates.
This was announced yesterday by Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels, who said that the incentives range from $15,000 to $25,000.
Samuels said the aim of the initiative, which is being done with the support of the Ministry of Public Security, is to stamp out corruption and specifically the smuggling of contraband items into the prisons.
“The sanitisation of the prison system requires all officers to be committed to the move. Time and time again we have seen acts that can only be as a result of collusion,” Samuels said.
As a result, he noted, officers are encouraged to help in this fight.
“For all those officers who come forward with details that can result [in] detection and prosecution, they will be given an incentive of between $15,000 [and] $25,000,” he stated.
Collusion between prison warders and inmates has been blamed for the continued smuggling of contraband into prison facilities across the country.
Last week Sunday, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan had urged members of the GPS to speak out on collusion between their fellow ranks and inmates.
He had also noted that a total of 28 ranks had been dismissed for the year. Of the 28 dismissed ranks, 11 were charged for drug trafficking-related offences. Additionally, he said there are currently 12 ranks interdicted from duty, nine of whom are charged either departmentally or criminally with trafficking-related activities.
Last week, a prison officer was arrested after he was implicated by an inmate in the smuggling of marijuana into the Timehri Prison.
A total of 584 grammes of suspected cannabis, equivalent to just over a pound, was handed over to the police by the officer-in-charge of the prison.
The cannabis, which was packed in a quantity of zip-lock bags and two plastic bottles, was alleged to have been found in the possession of a 42-year-old orderly.
The convict, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for buggery and rape, was reportedly observed in the prison compound with the cannabis and upon being questioned indicated that he received it from the prison officer.
The orderly then reportedly took the police to a storeroom, where two additional plastic bottles containing cannabis were seen.
The prison officer was subsequently questioned and he denied having knowledge of the drugs. Nevertheless, he was still taken into custody pending the findings of the investigation.
