The Cabinet has been briefed, following the recent prison escape and
unrest at the Lusignan Prison’s Holding Bay.
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon today said his Cabinet colleague
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan is also meeting with a
technical team of former prison officials, and security stakeholders
to chart a way forward. This will aid efforts to prevent a repeat of
similar occurrences.
Minister Harmon, during his post-Cabinet Press briefing at the
Ministry of the Presidency today, added that the Director of Prisons
(ag), Gladwin Samuels was given “clear directions to address any
operational issues, on-site”.
These operational issues or challenges include addressing the
provision of an adequate supply of water, washroom facilities and the
overall treatment of prisoners by ranks stationed at the various
prison locations. Several strategic measures will also be implemented,
the State Minister noted. These include higher levels of security and
supervision by more Joint Services ranks, and increased electronic
monitoring and surveillance.
Minister Harmon reiterated that the prisons at Lusignan and Timehri
were designed to be temporary holding facilities and not
“Hard/Strengthened Prisons”. The Mazaruni and Camp Street Prisons are
currently being rehabilitated; when complete, inmates will be
relocated to ease overcrowding at other facilities.
Since the last two jailbreaks from the Camp Street Prison and from
Lusignan Holding Bay, the government has taken all necessary steps to
recapture those who escaped. All escapees from the Camp Street prison
break were either recaptured or killed. However, Cobena Stephens, also
known as OJ, and Paul Goriah, who escaped from the Lusignan Holding
Bay, remain on the run, taking the total to four now at large.
