By Shauna Jemmott
PRESIDENT David Granger has clarified that the $100,000 given to each of the families of the victims of the Camp Street Prison riot is a relief and not compensation by his Government.Some of the relatives of the dead prisoners have expressed dissatisfaction with the $100,000 offered by the Government as they were expecting more.
“This is not a question of compensation; this is a matter of relief,” the President said, explaining that the assistance should not be seen as compensation since his Government is particularly concerned about the children and widows of the affected prisoners.
“We understand the tragic circumstances under which people died last week and the Government is attempting to assist the widows and the children but this is a one-off payment to bring relief to Guyanese citizens. It’s not an obligation on our ,but we want to make sure that the children and widows are in no way disadvantaged by the events that occurred,” Mr Granger said.
Post-mortems done on eight of the prisoners have indicated some died of suffocation and others by burns.
‘A’ Division Commander Clifton Hicken told the Guyana Chronicle that autopsies are expected to be performed on the remainder today, and the men will be released to their families after all the autopsies have been completed.
Seventeen Camp Street prisoners died in the riot which began last Wednesday and ended on the Friday of that week.
The prisoners had repeatedly set the facility on fire during the stand-off. The riot was stopped after Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan intervened and met with the prisoners’ representative. Several others were injured in the stand-off.

ALL NOT CONTACTED
Georgetown Prison Visiting Committee Chairman Rabindra Chand on Wednesday told reporters that some of the victims have come forward asking for monetary help, prison officials have not been able to contact relatives of some of victims, since their telephone numbers are dysfunctional.
He too confirmed that the autopsies on the victims are expected to be completed today, and relatives “will have the privilege of taking the bodies in their control.
And if their relatives are unwilling to bury their dead, The State is willing to bury the bodies [and] if they cannot, if they want the bodies, the State is also willing to give them some form of financial assistance to bury the bodies,” he said.
Meanwhile, Head of the Camp Street Prison, Kevin Pilgrim, said a number of adjustments have been made to the Camp Street prison environment since the riot.
He noted that support systems have been put in place to benefit the general prison population, their families and prison officers and their families who were psychologically affected by the deadly rebellion.
Pilgrim told the media that while some of the prisoners have been relocated to the Timehri, New Amsterdam and Lusignan prisons, repairs are being effected to the damaged buildings. Inmates have also been given new beddings, compliments of Food For The Poor.
He said too that the prison welfare services have increased through collaboration within the Guyana Prison Services and the Ministry of Social Protection, through which the newly established Visiting Prisons Committee.
In order to ensure prisoners are more involved in their welfare, the Inmate Complaints Committee, comprising prisoners representing the respective departments within the penitentiary, is briefed on developments. The general prison population is also being updated on new developments.
Pilgrim said all other prisoners have since been given opportunities to contact their families through the Welfare Department and visits were allowed in some cases, while the self-support prison services have been restored, allowing relatives to take food for those who have made such arrangements.

MEDICAL CARE
Pilgrim also pointed out that immediately after the unrest, medical care has been provided for those affected, and the joint welfare intervention was allowed by the team comprising the Prison Welfare Officer and a group of persons from the Ministry of Social Protection.
The team on Monday met with relatives of the deceased to address issues such as Public Assistance, special needs benefits, psychological and other social support as well as procedures for handing over of the bodies, burial arrangements, among others.
“That team would not have a one-off meeting, but they would be in constant contact with the relatives as to filter the necessary information that they would need at this critical time,” Pilgrim said.
Prison officials have also collaborated with leaders of the Muslim, Christian and Hindu communities to provide counselling and other services to those traumatised by the incident.
Prison officials will also step up networking with the Ministry of Social Protection, Food for the Poor, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Power and Light Company and the Guyana Water Inc.
The Guyana Prison Service’s Medical Department was damaged during the unrest, but the Guyana Defence Force has offered medical services to the prison until those services at the prison have been restored.
Since the riot, the Government has instructed that the administration of the Camp Street prison make available all necessary documentation to the newly established Commission of Inquiry investigating the riot.
“The CID was given full access to all witnesses and areas and all material that would aid a full investigation into the incident… they have full access to the prison and to conduct a full and proper investigation,” Pilgrim told reporters.