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19 years later Prison Service continues fight for risk allowance and insurance

Oct 07, 2019 News

Director of the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), Gladwin Samuels, made a call for risk allowance and life insurance to be made available to his staff.
According to Samuels, the working environment for the prison staff is not favourable, based on the hostility they are exposed to on a daily basis.
He added that despite the conditions they are placed to operate under, no risk allowance is made available for the dangers they are exposed to. Additionally, a life insurance plan is also absent for these very individuals.
The fight to have this implemented have been ongoing for a very long time as the director noted that he has been in the service for 19 years and the issue at hand have been in existence before his coming.
In a recent statement to the media in observance of their 36 years of service to the country, the Director said, “If we are going to be successful, Government must continue to recognise the Guyana Prison Service for its contribution to society.
“Improvement of working conditions is a work in progress; much more is required.”
Director Samuels indicated that since the destruction of the Camp Street Prison, the prisoners and staff are in makeshift offices and holding cells.
He further stated that most of the offices are now tents, which expose workers to the elements.
Recently, there was an additional 12 houses for the lodging of its staff at the Mazaruni Prisons. However, there is still a need for more housing as the GPS is seeking to have the old homes either rehabilitated or demolished.
The Director of Prison Services also called for “comparable increases in our take-home pay. This would be highly appreciated.”
Moreover, the director noted that the cost of living is very high and a lot of their staff operate far from homes. For example, he said the majority of workers hail from Berbice and they are stationed at the Mazaruni Prison.
This places a huge strain on the staff as they have to provide for their family all the way in Berbice while maintaining themselves with resources from Bartica, which is considered to be the gateway to the interior.
“When you see some of these prison officers, you can know they have a lot on their heads because so many expenses are accumulated and yet a hardship allowance, which I know is granted in a lot of countries, is not offered here,” Samuels mentioned.
While commending the Government for implementing safety gear, which were added last year and this year, he pleaded for more to be done.

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