...2017 escapee among instigators 

The authorities have beefed-up security at the Georgetown Prisons on Camp Street after foiling an attempt by inmates to break free earlier on Friday.

Reports are that on Friday at about 10:45 hours, while the Director of Prisons (ag) Gladwin Samuels  and other ranks were interacting with prisoners in the Security Block of the Georgetown Prison, it was observed that several bars of a cell had been cut and secured with cloth.

The Heads of Joint Services were alerted and the immediate search operation revealed that bars of another cell had also been cut. Hacksaw blades were discovered during the search; they were allegedly used by inmates to cut the bars.

Safrei Alexander, an escapee from the July, 9, 2017 prison break and Ryan Jones, who is serving a twenty-eight year term for manslaughter, are reported to be the main players in the escape plan.

The authorities have since put systems in place for the men to be secured at another location.

The police, with the assistance of prison officers from the Georgetown Prison, will be conducting a full investigation into the matter to determine, among other matters, how the prisoners got possession of hacksaw blades and why the sawed bars were not discovered earlier.

In July 2017, Alexander and several other prisoners bullied their way out of the Georgetown Prison which the inmates set alight while making their escape. The situation resulted in hundreds of prisoners being shifted to other prison locations after the prison was razed by the fire. Alexander was captured later that month on the Corentyne.

In July 2018, Alexander was handed a life sentence for attempted murder.