– name to reflect institution’s correctional focus, in keeping with the strategic plan

THE Ministry of Home Affairs is working aggressively to overhaul the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) as an institution, moving it away from one that focuses solely on incarceration to one with a correctional purpose.Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said the Lusignan Prison in particular would be transformed into a modern facility. The strategic plan has already been completed and sanctioned by the Cabinet.
The ministry is presently looking to fill vacancies for the impending establishment of the Strategic Management Department. These include a person to head the department, a policy analyst, and two technical officers — one to deal with prison management and the other for planning and research and resource mobilisation.
This notwithstanding, work has already commenced on modernising the GPS as a whole. A Standing Orders Committee has been established to compile standing orders for the institution and various boards, all of which include civilians. These Boards are: the Guyana Prison Service Recruitment Board, Guyana Prison Service Training Board, Guyana Prison Service Agricultural Development Board, and the Guyana Prison Service Sentence Management Board.
Last year, out of its $129M capital works budgetary allocation, the Guyana Prison Service spent $122M on improving infrastructure, including construction of the brick prison at Camp Street; phase two construction of the Lusignan Prison, phase one rehabilitation of trade shops, and procurement of cell locks.
These projects are all intended to provide a more secure environment for both prison officers and inmates.
In regard to the name change from the Guyana Prison Service to the Guyana Prison and Correctional Service (GPCS), Minister Rohee informed that he has already approached the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr Anil Nandlall, requesting that he tables a bill to effect the said name change.