…aimed at facilitating communication between prisoners and families during COVID-19 pandemic

THE COVID-19 restrictions have barred persons from visiting their relatives in prison. However, prisoners will soon have the opportunity to communicate with their families virtually, now that the Guyana Prison Service has been gifted with 30 tablets.

The tablets were donated by the Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes, on April 9. Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, In a statement, said the tablets will aid in more accessible communication between prisoners and their families during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

It was explained that, recently, visits to prisoners by family members have been suspended as a result of the threat of COVID-19. “The donation of tablets will now allow prisoners to contact family members via video conferencing, using the free government Wi-Fi that is already in place at the prisons,” the Ministry explained.

More than a year ago, the Government installed internet at the prisons in Camp Street, New Amsterdam, Lusignan holding Bay and Mazaruni. The initiative was part of the overall goal of providing internet to government ministries and agencies to enhance operations and communication between locations.  Today access to the internet is playing a significant role in relief efforts to promote social distancing to ease the spread of the Coronavirus.