The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) now has a baggage scanner that is capable of thoroughly inspecting miscellaneous articles entering and leaving the Camp Street prison.
The Government Information Agency (GINA) reported that the scanner which was installed at a cost of $4.5M was handed to Director of Prisons Dale Erskine by Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee on Tuesday in the foyer of the Camp Street prison where it is located.
A number of prison officers witnessed the handing-over ceremony.
In addition, the prison service received a new minibus valued at $2.3M and this represents the administration’s continuing effort to improve efficiency at the prisons.
GINA said that in an invited comment Erskine expressed his optimism that the new equipment will enhance the prison’s ability to carefully inspect all possessions which may present a threat to security.
“We are in the business of security and we always have to enhance our ability to ensure our prisons remain secure. So equipment like this will give us that capability to search in a much more defined manner and we are happy that we are able to have this machine provided to us by the government,” Erskine is quoted as saying.
Several mock exercises have been conducted at the Camp Street prison to ensure that officers at the facility are prepared for any possible breach of security.
And workable systems to control prison protests have also been working well, GINA reported. Effective training of ranks to deal with the multi-dimensional challenges in the prison environment, developing security capabilities at each prison location and reducing dietary expenditure through self-sufficiency have also been undertaken.
Meanwhile, the 2008 National Budget has allocated $97M for the upgrade of the Mazaruni Prison, the Georgetown Prison dormitory and the completion of a training facility for prison officers at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, GINA added.
