New batch of officers being trained to reduce corruption in prisons

A new batch of prison officers is currently being trained to be initiated into the Guyana Prison Service with the aim of ridding the prisons of corruption.
These were the sentiments of Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn on Tuesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
Minister Benn said the level of corruption within the prison system was alarming and had to be addressed at the earliest.

“We are losing more prison officers than we are getting due to corrupt practices. Between last week and this week, I have dealt with at least five in respect of drug smuggling and other grave indiscretions in respect to their uniforms and code,” Benn noted.
The Minister revealed that additional support from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and other entities was being utilised to ensure effective management of the prisons.
The Lusignan Prison has been under review for its alarming level of corruption, including numerous escapes over the past few years and smuggling of drugs and prohibited items.

Further, Minister Benn said there was active surveillance underway for the two inmates who escaped from the Lusignan Prison last week. The prisoners’ sentences will be increased once they are recaptured.
Earlier this month, two prison officers attached to the Lusignan Prison were arrested after a quantity of ganja was found in their quarters.
It was reported that on the day in question, a team of prison officials conducted the search during which a black plastic bag was unearthed in a cupboard hidden under a sink.
The bag was opened in the presence of the two prison officers and two large transparent ziplock bags containing cannabis were found within.

The ganja was reportedly handed over to the Police and weighed – amounting to 894.5 grams – in the presence of the two officers. One of the officers was subsequently arraigned for the crime and released on bail while no charges were instituted against the second since there was no evidence that he was involved in the trafficking of narcotics.
Contraband smuggling has long been a perennial problem within the local prison system, and this is compounded by the fact that both prison wardens and Police Officers are facilitating the illegal trade, which is said to be “big business”.

Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels has stated that “the Home Affairs Ministry and the Guyana Prison Service would like to see officers speak out on corruption at all levels. As such, officers are encouraged to help in this fight. For all those officers who come forward with details that can result in detection and prosecution, they will be given an incentive of between $15,000 (and) $25,000”.