—announces plans for a high-level team to support greater integration of security forces

Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Dr Irfaan Ali, has called for a strategic overhaul of the Guyana Prison Service, urging the body to move from a reactive role to a proactive pillar of national security.

Addressing the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) Annual Senior Officers Conference being held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, the President said the country’s approach to security must be unified and collaborative.

He stressed the need for the prison service to play a constructive societal role, proposing the development of a “prison avoidance” system focused on preventing people, particularly young people, from entering the criminal justice system in the first place.

“Over the past five years, we’ve been integrating our systems, integrating our leadership, and building on the success of each other, because that is the only way we can confront the multifaceted nature of the challenges of the future,” he said.

“We talk about rehabilitation, which is important, but before we get to prison, how do we avoid getting there?” he questioned.

To this end, Dr Ali announced that, in the coming weeks, he will launch a high‑powered group of experienced individuals to guide the integration of systems and lead the implementation of the initiatives outlined.

He emphasised that the Guyana Prison Service is an integral part of the nation’s security architecture and must be afforded equal standing alongside the police and defence forces as it works to secure the country and reshape outcomes in communities