VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF PUBLIC SECURITY HON. KHEMRAJ RAMJATTAN – DRAFT STATEMENT – July 31, 2017

I wish to thank the members of the public who have been providing useful information which has led to the recapture of several of the fugitives who escaped from the Georgetown and Lusignan Prisons.

The members of the public have demonstrated bravery and a duty to the society to rid it of these persons who are to be in the custody of the state. The information has been treated with the strictest of confidence and with four remaining fugitives on the run I plead with the members of the public to continue their vigilance and to report all information to the police.

I further plead with the family members, relatives, friends and associates of those on the run, to turn them in, if you are in contact with them or know of their whereabouts. If you are caught harbouring them, you will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.

I wish to especially thank the Joint Services for their tireless work and relentless efforts in recapturing these fugitives, and for doing so without the loss of life of any civilian.

The Guyana Prison Service, with support from the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force have also been vigilant in maintaining order at all our prisons and ensuring that any attempt at plotting to escape is thwarted as you would have seen over the weekend at both Lusignan and New Amsterdam.

Nothing is being taken for granted and security has been further beefed up to ensure that the integrity of the prisons is high and that safety and good order prevail in the society, and citizens can feel a heightened state of security.