Prison Service’s agriculture programme ‘productive’ in the first half year

– Mazaruni inmates reap more than 500 kg of produce

The Guyana Prison Service’s agriculture rehabilitation programme for inmates has been successful in the first half of 2023, with a quantity of produce being reaped over the past few months.

A release from the Prison Service on Sunday stated that inmates of the Mazaruni Prison, Region Seven, harvested a number of vegetables and fruits from the prison’s farm.

A total of 245 pounds of boulanger along with a quantity of carambola were harvested and Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot noted that these will be preserved for the Christmas holidays.

Only recently, inmates housed at the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara, harvested a quantity of corn from the prison’s farm.

Farming has been undertaken at the New Amsterdam, Mazaruni, Lusignan and Timehri prisons, with the efforts geared at sustainably supplying the prison populations with produce and poultry supplies.

The government through the Ministry of Home Affairs earmarked $5.5 billion for the Prison Service to support its transformation from a penal to a correctional service, which promotes an environment where custodial safety is assured, and inmates are rehabilitated and successfully reintegrated into society.

These include training in areas such as block making, basic agriculture and culinary arts, among others.