$1.7B in upgrades underway at New Amsterdam Prison

With $1.7 billion in upgrades underway at the New Amsterdam Prison in Region Six, both inmates and staff will soon benefit from a modern environment, significantly contributing to the development of Guyana’s Prison Service.

These upgrades will provide prisoners with improved living conditions and staff with a more conducive working environment.

To manage the extensive work at the prison effectively, the transformation process was divided into 10 lots.

Lot one involves the construction of senior officers’ living quarters, while lot two focuses on the male and female living areas. Lot three includes the building of a kitchen and storage bond.

Additionally, lots four and five will feature the construction of an officers’ sports club and a reception building.

Moreover, to enhance prisoner comfort and ensure equitable access to basic needs, lots six through ten will respectively accommodate an infirmary annex, an overhead storage tank, a treatment plant, cell blocks, and a training facility.

Specifically, the training facility aims to positively impact prisoners’ lives by providing them with opportunities to learn trades, preparing them for reintegration into society.

These skills will enable prisoners to secure jobs and provide for themselves and their families upon release, fostering positive change in their lives. Many of these projects are nearing completion, while others have progressed more than 50 per cent.

The report on these upgrades followed a visit by Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot, and a team from the Guyana Prison Service.

Elliot expressed satisfaction with the rapid progress of the works, noting that it underscores the government’s ongoing investment in capital developments within the prison system. T

These investments aim to enhance the physical structure of the prison, ensuring adequate housing for both prisoners and staff.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, responsible for overseeing the functions of the prison service, was allocated a sum of $44.8 billion in the national budget this year. Of this amount, $6.4 billion was allocated for the operation of the prison service, with $2.7 billion specifically earmarked for infrastructure enhancements.