The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, earlier today, officially commissioned the newly constructed Guyana Prison Service Headquarters at Lusignan.
It was constructed to the tune of $480 million.
The commissioning ceremony was led by the Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, alongside Permanent Secretary Mr. Andre Ally, Director of Prisons (ag) Mr. Nicklon Elliot, and Deputy Director (ag) Mr. Kevin Pilgrim.
The relocation of the Prison Service Headquarters from its Brickdam Office to Lusignan represents a bold step in reshaping Guyana’s correctional system, the Ministry said in a statement.
Situated within the Lusignan Prison compound, the new headquarters offers significantly more space, allowing for expanded administrative operations, improved staff coordination, and closer integration of security and rehabilitative functions. This strategic move strengthens oversight, enhances operational efficiency, and fosters an environment where safety, rehabilitation, and reintegration work hand in hand to reduce recidivism.
As part of the commissioning, plaques were unveiled for several major facilities completed at Lusignan, signalling a substantial investment in the modernisation of the prison system.
Central to these developments are six newly constructed cell blocks, representing a total investment of over $2.2 billion. Each block has been carefully designed to expand capacity, improve living conditions, and enhance safety and security throughout the facility. Beyond increasing space, the modern structures support effective management, facilitate staff supervision, and promote a more humane and orderly environment.
The ceremony also highlighted key rehabilitative and support facilities aimed at equipping inmates with the skills and services essential for successful reintegration into society. These include the Trade Shops for inmates ($54,399,009), providing practical hands-on training in various trades; the Infirmary Annex ($35,807,650), offering improved healthcare services; and the Vocational Training School ($102,180,215), along with its supporting infrastructure and completion works ($29,210,960), which delivers comprehensive education and skills development programmes.
Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate the Government’s commitment to a holistic approach to corrections, fostering personal growth and actively reducing recidivism, the ministry noted.
Essential operational facilities were also unveiled, reflecting a balanced and comprehensive approach to correctional management.
These include the Kitchen ($54,895,720), ensuring the efficient preparation of nutritious meals for inmates; the Female Officers’ Living Quarters ($60,232,853); and the Senior Officers’ Living Quarters ($91,977,940), providing modern, secure accommodations for staff.
By investing in both inmate and staff facilities, the Government reinforces humane living conditions, operational efficiency, and professional support, creating a stable and rehabilitative environment.
Delivering the feature address, Minister Benn said that the government’s efforts to revolutionise the prison system extend far beyond infrastructure. He emphasised that the ultimate goal is the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates into society, ensuring that correctional facilities play an active role in reducing recidivism.
“This new headquarters and the other facilities we are building here stand as a metaphor for transformation,” Minister Benn stated. “While we are putting in the physical infrastructure, the next big step is performance. We must carefully examine whether there is transformation in the types of crimes and in the individuals committing them and then identify the best results and approaches”.
The Minister reflected on the situation prior to 2020, when prison conditions were dire, with inmates forced to sleep on floors and hammocks in overcrowded spaces. He noted that major infrastructural upgrades at Lusignan, Mazaruni, and other facilities have significantly improved living and working conditions for both inmates and staff.
“The prison system is a window into our society,” Minister Benn said. “It reflects our trauma, our brokenness, and our failures, but also our opportunity to heal. We must offer those who fall the opportunity to rise again”.
He urged prison officers to balance security with humanity and respect, stressing, “I do not want prisoners beaten; they must be treated with dignity. The aim is to shift the service’s focus from simply incarcerating individuals to actively and conscientiously rehabilitating them”.
PS Ally highlighted the Government’s over $4 billion investment in prison infrastructure and training since 2020, a staggering increase of more than 26,000% compared to the $15 million spent between 2015 and 2020. “If you knew the state of this compound five or six years ago, you’d understand exactly what I mean; it was chaos, disaster. Today, thanks to the leadership of the Government of Guyana, we now have brand new buildings, upgraded cell blocks, vocational schools, trade shops, kitchens, and even virtual boardrooms”, PS Ally said.
The Permanent Secretary also stressed that the commissioning represents far more than the opening of a building; it is a reaffirmation of the Government’s commitment to modernising correctional facilities and creating environments that support rehabilitation and reintegration.
Director of Prisons, during his brief remarks to the gathering, noted that the new headquarters is part of a larger national initiative to enhance infrastructure and improve conditions for both inmates and staff.
He emphasised that correctional facilities must prioritise self-improvement and personal growth if rehabilitation is to be effective. Architectural changes, he said, are being implemented to foster environments that encourage skill-building, education, and healthier interactions.
Looking ahead, Elliot reaffirmed the Prison Service’s commitment to holistic rehabilitation and reintegration efforts, while calling on prison officers to play an active role in realising the Government’s vision of a modern correctional system built on dignity, opportunity, and security.
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