MINISTER of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, and a team led by Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot, on Friday, inspected ongoing construction works at the Lusignan Prison on the East Coast of Demerara.

According to a post made on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Facebook post on Saturday, the major ongoing expansion project has completely eliminated the issue of overcrowding at Lusignan, which stood at 42 per cent.

Furthermore, some 500 inmates are to be accommodated in three structures which are currently under construction.

The contractors, as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Projects Department, have committed to collaborating and achieving the required set standards for the prison.

The facility upgrades will accommodate a female prison, which will see the relocation of female inmates from the New Amsterdam Prison.

Meanwhile, the living quarters which is being built for senior and junior staff will accommodate 100 males and 50 female prison officers. The infirmary annex, the overhead water storage tanks and water treatment plants are nearing practical completion, the ministry said.

The prison’s vocational school which will focus on the upskilling of inmates while reducing relapse is at 95 per cent practical completion. This structure will complement Minister Benn’s ‘Fresh Start’ initiative which was created to help reintegrate inmates with the community and their families.

The Holding Bay area is expected to be transformed into trade shops, where prisoners will be exposed to auto mechanics, joinery, tailoring welding and carpentry programmes.

During his visit, Minister Benn toured the prison farm where approximately 2,000 heads of corn are being grown and beds are being prepared for the planting of eggplant (boulanger).

Over 600 inmates of the Lusignan Prison were previously accommodated at the Prison’s Holding Bay area and were recently moved to three new buildings that were constructed in the prison compound.
Other prisons are expected to benefit from expansion works which will help to eliminate overcrowding.