Dear Editor,
On this fateful night two years ago, I stood outside of the Camp Street Prison at around 9 pm. By this time, the prison and the canteen and officers’ quarters on the western side of the street, obliquely opposite the prison, had been destroyed by fire.
Some of the prisoners had escaped. Many of those who escaped, ran through the alleyway that leads from the front of the prison on Camp Street to Leopold and Smyth streets. The crowd that was gathered on that corner was allowing the escapees to pass through them, then closing ranks and blocking the police and prison officers from passing to recapture the prisoners.
Other prisoners were shot while trying to escape.
The prisoners were huddled on Camp Street, just north of Bent Street. Because I had my media badge, I was given access to venture beyond the police cordon.
I walked up and down and all around that area that night, taking pictures— but praying mostly— as I witnessed the historic event.
I could smell marijuana and cigarette smoke emanating from among the groups of prisoners. The men by this time were hungry and agitated. Some were wet, some were injured.
The trucks from the Ministry of Public Security that were used to catch stray animals were being used to transport the prisoners from Camp Street to the Lusignan Prison. They were using about two or three trucks but the process was slow and tedious. The trucks were being overcrowded to reduce the amount of prisoners on the street.
As I walked among the men, I overheard them plotting to make a run for it. There were armed police and soldiers but there were more prisoners than members of the joint forces.
I anticipated a blood bath that night if those prisoners had executed their plan.
As I prayed, a thought came to me: I remembered that I was a substitute driver for the Knight Rider Bus Service and that Salem (the owner of the company) had those 52-seater coach buses. I immediately approached Director Gladwin Samuels and suggested that he call Salem and use those buses to faster transport the prisoners away from the area.
I gave Director Samuels Salem’s number. He made the call. He told me that Salem was out of the country but that he spoke with Salem’s wife.
Soon after, I saw several of the big Knight Rider buses rolling up and parking, just across from where the prisoners were gathered. The prisoners were loaded onto them and police outriders escorted the train of buses to the Lusignan Prison.
Whenever I remember that night, I thank God for allowing me to play a part in the saving of lives. Many more persons would have died that night had those prisoners all decided to make a run to freedom.
On another note, I am as convinced as ever before that Guyana needs an Ex-offender Rehabilitation Programme. I have been suggesting it for 10 years now.
The 17 men who died when the Camp Street Prison first burned in 2016 and the almost complete destruction of the Camp Street Prison in 2017, most likely would not have happened if we had a formal prisoner rehabilitation programme, which would reduce the number of persons returning to prison.
I hope that the political parties put this as an agenda item on their manifestos, and that they follow through with the implementation when they get into office. I am still available to help my country. The crime situation in Guyana might be down but it is still at unacceptable levels.
Yours faithfully,
Wendell Jeffrey
