Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee has called on civil society to critically examine and make recommendations which will aid the modernisation and enhancement of the Guyana Prison Service (GPS).The call was made at a Retreat held at the Regency Hotel, Hadfield Street, which was aimed at analysing a report on the review of the management systems of the GPS by the Public Service Ministry, upon a request by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), in a conscious effort to enhance capacities and capabilities within the Prisons.

Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee making his remarks at the Retreat.

Minister Rohee explained the need for the report to be subjected to rigorous analysis by way of discussions and recommendations. He added that the function of the GPS is to provide a service by ensuring that those who are placed in its custody by the justice system are placed safely away from the rest of the populace.

This, he said, is complemented by efforts to implement measures to reform and rehabilitate offenders, so that upon their release, they can make positive contributions towards the country’s development.

“The GPS is not perfect, though it is our desire to make it a perfect institution,” he said.

The Home Affairs Ministry has embarked on a massive modernisation process to have all departments regularized and improved. The GPS has a strategic plan to improve on all aspects of its operations, a plan that has been adopted by the Government.

Minister Rohee said that his Ministry “is committed to making sure all the agencies that fall under its responsibility are guided with the necessary policies and directives so as to improve the services provided by the GPS.

The Minister encouraged the carefully-chosen list of participants to give their best in the deliberations, so as to make worthwhile contributions in the form of critical examinations and strong recommendations.

The Minister’s remarks were followed by a Power Point presentation of the report, delivered by a representative from the Public Service Ministry, Lloyd Nickram, who said that the report is an attempt to pinpoint precise issues that are affecting the GPS, as well as proposals to counteract and to some extent eliminate some of the issues.

“Prisoners are not sent to prison for punishment. Their punishment lies in the deprivation of their freedom. The prison should create an environment similar to the physical and social environment that would be met outside the prison upon their release,” Nickram said. He added that the prison should be seen as the nation’s correctional facility.

The burning issue of overcrowding in the prisons was dealt with extensively by Nickram, who said that this is a direct result of a large number of remands and convictions for petty crimes.

A synopsis of the 68-page report stated that prisoners need to have a change of desires, supported by the ability to live self-supporting lives. This means that they need good education and competitive skills to find jobs to support themselves when they re-enter society.

Nickram cited the fact that the prison’s Caribbean Secondary Examination Council (CSEC) programme only caters for five subjects, another shortcoming that is encountered in the process of reforming young inmates. he made a call to the Ministry of Education to intervene and provide competent teachers and teaching materials to address this issue.

The report was further analysed and debated in a break session which saw the formation of groups discussing various aspects of the document. Emphasis was also placed on the roles and responsibility of the prison staff.

The Mission of the prison service is “to protect society against crime by using the period of imprisonment to help offenders become willing and able to lead law-abiding and self-supporting lives when they re-enter society, and by ensuring that the prison facilities are safe, secured and comfortable.” (GINA)