Acknowledging that the authorities are still “wrestling” to find the best approaches to reform the prison system, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn yesterday said that the overall aim is to improve the living conditions in the country’s prison facilities.
“…We have to improve the conditions. We can’t reform them unless we improve the conditions. ….If we don’t strategically and in detail look at all the issues in relation to how we keep them, how we train them and improve those things, we won’t be making progress in respect to this matter. This is a critical task going forward,” Benn said during his address at the opening ceremony of the Guyana Prison Service’s (GPS) Senior Officer’s Conference.
The two-day conference is being held at the Guyana Police Force Training Centre, Camp Street, under the theme “Working towards improving the image of the Guyana Prison Service”.
Benn told the GPS leadership that there is need for self-reformation and a review of how they deal with and respond to situations arising within the system. “….If we want to see reform in the prisons and improvements, we have to reform ourselves. We have to reform the way we do things and we have to review and change our perception of how we treat people…. We have to have a different approach to the use of violence,” Benn explained.
According to Benn, “fear stalks in the prisons”. As such, he said, the change that is needed to address the existing issues are permanent and continuous.
“…We have to identify these issues, identify the persons in the prisons who may be trying to create gangs, find ways to separate the younger offenders from the old unreformed persons who can never get good but who exist,” he said.
“The change will only come about if we identify the issues and the questions and the things which we ought to change and improve,” he added.
Over the years, the prisons, particularly the facility at Lusignan have been the scene of riotous behaviour, escapes, murders and fires. Most if not all of these incidents were in protest over the inhumane conditions prisoners are faced with while incarcerated.
Currently, three modern facilities are being constructed at the Lusignan Prison to house 1000 inmates in keeping with international requirements. They are expected to be completed next month and are likely to address the longstanding issue of overcrowding.
Benn said the work of the law enforcement agencies has resulted in an increase in the prison population. “Regrettably perhaps but it had to be done but we are still wrestling with finding the best approaches towards reforming on the prison, creating better infrastructure…..and with our overall mission of improving the conditions under which we have people who are incarcerated,” he noted.
He further stated that there tends to be a drastic reduction in issues with the prisons when the conditions under which inmates are kept are improved. “The prisons and prisoners are a reflection of our society…We have to find a way in which we reduce these instances of violence which result in people being incarcerated in these very large numbers. There is no magic in it but that’s what we have to do,” Benn said.
Additionally, Benn said efforts are also being made to train prisoners so that when they leave the system they are equipped to earn an income and support their families and/or themselves.
Challenges
Also speaking at the opening ceremony was Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot who said 2021 presented some challenges for the organisation, many of which were due to the COVID-19 virus.
Elliot explained that in an effort to safeguard prisoners and staff from becoming infected by the virus, several preventative measures including an increase in the provision of sanitization measures were implemented.
Also, he said virtual courts were established at all prison locations expect for Mazaruni so that inmates can attend their hearing without being exposed.
At the end of 2021, Elliot said the prison population stood at 1889 prisoners with an overall recidivism rate 13 percent.
The staffing composition for the same period, he said was at 518 officers with an additional 34 officers being recruited in 2021.
Elliot said a total of 23 officers were dismissed for various infractions.
According to Elliott, the staff played an important role in the execution of the organisation’s mandate.
Thus, he said, emphasis was placed on enhancing the capacity of the staff and a total of 480 officers participated in several training programmes which included prison management, human rights, management and leadership, occupational health and safety and correctional transition training.
“It is envisioned that the various training programmes will aid junior and senior officers not to just improve their work performance but to be better equipped to respond to the risks and needs of the dynamics of the GPS,” Elliot said.
At the same time, he highlighted that the prison administration continues to create rehabilitation opportunities for prisoners, paving the way for their successful reintegration into society.
As such, Elliot said a total of 861 prisoners were trained in various programmes such as literacy, numeracy, behaviour modification programmes, art and craft and agriculture.
