KEEN rivalry is anticipated among prison officers and inmates under their charge this week as the Guyana Prison Service observes its 26th Prison Service Week, with a week of activities which began Sunday.

The activities are being held at all of the prisons locations, Camp Street in the City, New Amsterdam, Mazaruni, Lusignan and Timehri.

On Sunday, Prison Officers attached to Georgetown Prisons challenged an invited team in a dominoes competition, while yesterday inter-division football and cricket for inmates; discussion on HIV/AIDS; and painting of pedestrian crossing were staged.

Remaining activities include a stint of caring for the elderly at Uncle Eddie’s Home, video show for inmates, a billiard competition, enhancement works at the Palms and an anniversary dance which will bring the curtains down.

At the New Amsterdam prison, where the prison population consists of both male and female inmates, activities following the service Sunday consisted of dominoes between female and male inmates as well as prison officers and an invitational team.

Yesterday the location hosted a discussion on topical issues and a billiards competition between officers and civilians, while today community work involving officers and inmates and a feeding programme for needy children within the environs were slated.

Tomorrow, a prisoners in concert event will be held on the tarmac while the following day, there will be a 10-over cricket match during which convicted prisoners will challenge those on remand.

This will be played in the male prison yard and a circle tennis match between female prisoners and an invitational team will be played at Scotts School Ground.

A family fun day and a dance will bring an end to celebrations there.

Activities planned for the Lusignan Prison included a dominoes competition between officers and an outside team which was played after the church service on Sunday, followed by the staging of a cricket competition involving inmates of Lewis Block and Friday Block, yesterday.

During the week, too, inmates will be engaged in weeding and cleaning of the Lusignan Primary School, and a visit to the St John Bosco Orphanage, and officers will challenge inmates in a six aside small goal football match.

There will be more dominoes rivalry between inmates representing Dinning Hall, Friday Block and Lewis, a lecture on HIV, the staging of Market Day on October 2, and on October 3 a fitness walk for officers and a tour to the New Amsterdam Prisons.

A dominoes competition involving officers from the Mazaruni Prisons, Sibley Hall Prison Officers and females was at the Mazaruni Prison Officers Sports Club after the church service, Sunday and yesterday, inmates were served a special diet breakfast in the Dinning Hall beginning at 07:00 hrs, and later there was an Intra Prison Domino Competition pitting Mazaruni Prison inmates against inmates of Sibley Hall.

Scheduled for yesterday, too, was the opening of a sponsored domino competition at Mikey’s Liquor Parlour, Bartica.

Other activities include a soft ball cricket competition between officers and inmates from Mazaruni Prisons and Sibley Hall; community work to be executed by officers and inmates at the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) Stelling, Bartica; a panel discussion at which topics include parental care of children, building self esteem and HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis; family , games night and camp fire for officers and residents; educational sessions at Mazaruni and Sibley Hall Prisons by Hope Foundation; and an exhibition and sale of work of inmates and prison officers at T&HD Stelling, Bartica on October 3, followed by a football competition involving inmates.

On Sunday, a domino competition followed the church service at the Timehri Prison, while yesterday’s morning session was used to clean the prison environment and in the afternoon, inmates discussed topical issues.

The Timehri Prison will also stage a community project at Timehri Primary School, a Prisoners Games Day, a medical outreach programme, a dominoes competition between officers and inmates, an Inter-service Sports day involving the Prisons, Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Fire Service (GFS) and the Civil Aviation Department (CAD).

A community project at the New Testament of God Church on October 3 and an Oldies Dance to be held at Timehri Prison Officers Sports Club will culminate the activities at that location.