The Guyana Government has plans this year to enhance the country’s prison infrastructure amid a 14 percent increase in the jailhouse population. The country’s Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn made the disclosure on Thursday last, during his contribution to the 2023 budget debate.
Aside from enhancing accommodations, the regime is also focusing on reducing recidivism, Benn said, highlighting several initiatives that will be continued this year, including the Home Affairs Ministry’s “Fresh Start Initiative”.
“We’re talking about putting in the new prison infrastructure that we’re building at Lusignan school, a new health centre, women’s prison …. We’re talking about having education for them, we’re talking about a release programme called ‘fresh start’ to enable them to move to gainful employment, rehabilitation in society and with their families,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, the official noted that massive investments will be made this year toward the procurement of “assets” for agencies in the security sector, as well as rolling out programmes aimed at promoting peace nationwide.
Some $500 million is also earmarked in budget 2023 to procure vehicles for the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to bolster its fleet. Further, Minister Benn noted that the government is actively working to secure more assets to aid the Guyana Fire Service, including new ambulances and mobile firefighting implements.
