Lusignan Prison for $66m improvement works

Amid sporadic unrest at the Lusignan Prison over conditions, the Ministry of Public Security is inviting bids for $66m worth of improvement works.

According to an advertisement in yesterday’s Sunday Stabroek, the Ministry is seeking bids for the rehabilitation of the dormitory and administration building at the prison. The engineer’s estimate is $29m. Bids are also being invited for repair work to the Holding Bay at the prison. The engineer’s estimate is $37m.

The closing date for the receipt of bids is Tuesday, November 20th.

Work is also being sought for another facility which has also seen unrest. The Ministry is inviting bids for work on the Timehri Prison. Bids are being sought for the renovation of the officers’ living quarters. The engineer’s estimate is $5.7m.

Bids are also being sought for the rehabilitation of the concrete and galvanized farm fence at the New Amsterdam Prison. The engineer’s estimate is $2m. The deadline for the receipt of bids is November 20.

The Guyana Prison Service is also inviting bids for the construction of a mobile office. The engineer’s estimate is $6m.

On October 16 this year, eight inmates were shot during efforts to quell unrest at the Lusignan Prison.

In a press release on that day, the ministry said acting Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels met with inmates at their request and he received complaints about the facility’s physical infrastructure, prisoners not receiving lunch, periods of imprisonment and the behaviour of some of the junior ranks. The ministry said these concerns were noted and actions would be taken where necessary.

The United Nations’ Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent last year called for the Lusignan Prison to be closed down without delay, saying that the facility was “not fit for human habitation.”

The recommendation followed a fiveday visit to Guyana and the Group issued a raft of recommendations addressing the state of the country’s penal system, stating that steps should be taken to improve the infrastructure and hygienic conditions within prisons, bringing them within international standards.

The unrest on October 16 began around 4.16 pm in a holding bay of the prison, from which three inmates had escaped earlier. During the unrest, the prisoners hurled hundreds of missiles directly at officers, damaged the inner holding bay fences and exited the confined area. “They then focused their attention on gaining access to the gate that allows exit from the location by using several items to hit the gate but they were unsuccessful in their attempt,” a release from the prison had noted.

At the time, the release explained, a total of 558 inmates were at the facility, with 80 ranks from the prison, police and fire services on duty.