‘Don’t beat prisoners’ – Min. Benn tells officers

Apr 12, 2025 News

…calls for systemic reform of Prison Service

Kaieteur News- Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn urged officers of the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) on Friday to adopt a more humane and rehabilitative approach to prison management, calling for systemic reform.

‘Don’t beat prisoners’ – Min. Benn tells officers

Lusignan Prison

The Minister made these remarks during the opening ceremony of the Guyana Prison Service’s Chief Officers’ Conference, held at the Guyana National Racket Centre, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown. The two-day conference will bring together senior officers and stakeholders to assess accomplishments, address ongoing challenges, and plan strategically for the year ahead.

In his address, Minister Benn raised concerns about prisoner abuse by staff and called for a shift toward “soft approaches” in managing inmates. “We have to pay more attention to the soft approaches… from the criminal aspect, we have to have an understanding. You have a massive opportunity to understand the culture, the behavior, why they did what they did, and what opportunity, and what results are there to help them to be better,” he said.

“It’s not simply having them locked up, treating them bad, cussing them, beating them now and again, allowing them to fight between themselves,” the Minister added.

He cautioned officers against using unnecessary and excessive force on inmates. “Don’t beat them. Don’t create situations which move to the point where you have to use force. If you have to use force, use a force continuum. Use baton if you have to, use appropriately. Pepper spray, taser… if a firearm has to be used, [fire] in the air or at the legs,” he instructed.

Minister Benn also addressed the issue of sexual assault in prisons, urging staff to take such matters seriously. “We don’t want prisoners assaulted, [or to face] sexual assault. We’ve got to be aware in that circumstance that there could be sexual assaults. There could even be consensual relations, but they’ve got to be managed and restrict it so it doesn’t pose questions of what is proper in the environment. But we can’t have it knowingly… and that it is a joke,” he said firmly.

“We can’t be accepting of it… this is why your job is so significant, special, tedious, toxic. But it requires a new sense of purpose and awareness, and vision of where we want to go as a people. We can’t continue the way we’re supposed to do it,” Minister Benn continued.

The Minister also expressed concern over basic conditions within the prison system, pointing to gaps in healthcare, nutrition, and record-keeping. “Our statistics that we should look at should talk about the number of escapes, attempted escapes, deaths and injuries in prison. What is the medical help that is required? What are the shortfalls in terms of the requirement? Has the diet improved? I don’t believe the diet has improved,” he stated.

Another concern raised by the Minister was the number of prison officers trafficking illegal drugs into the facilities. He emphasised that such drugs used in the prison services are detrimental to prisoners’ development. “I applaud the fact that we get the ganja—it didn’t go into the prison. I don’t know how much of it remains and went into the prison still. But why is it happening? How much remains in the prison system? Because I know men smoking ganja in the prison. We don’t want drugs in the prison,” he said. “The only drugs we want in the prison are those that could be medicinally given to prisoners as part of their treatment.”

Minister Benn also emphasised the importance of adhering to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), noting that many problems in the prison stem from failure to follow established protocols.

Echoing the Minister’s concerns, Director of Prisons Nicklon Elliot underscored the need for an urgent review of the system. “When you look at all of the incidents that occur during the period, it is because of the lack of enforcement of those SOPs and regulations,” Elliot said. He noted that the conference was a vital platform to correct systemic issues and restore accountability and professionalism in the prison service.

(‘Don’t beat prisoners’ – Min. Benn tells officers)

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