Georgetown: The Ministry of Home Affairs, today, launched the Guyana Prison Service’s (GPS) Standing Orders, to further build the service’s institutional capacity.
This was an evolutionary process carried out by a Standing Order Committee, appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, in which a full proof strategic plan has been compiled, as a rule to govern the operational procedure of the GPS, by which the ranks are guided.
The Prison Service Standing Orders Committee was headed by former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cecil Kilkenny, in which work was done through investigation and review of prisons record.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee reiterated that the Standing Order will not only benefit the Ministry of Home Affairs, but it is a national document that will benefit citizens.
“It is the possession of the Guyana Prison Service… it belongs to a national institution and that national institution belongs to the people of Guyana,” he said.
He added that the National Document of Standing Orders will contribute meaningfully to the transformation process of the GPS, and which will benefit the Strategic Management Department of the Service, in rolling out and assisting in a strategic plan.
The minister further agreed that the Standing Order ought to constitute a permanent feature in the training of the educational process within the GPS, as the compass and guide in taking the GPS further.
Chairman of the Standing Orders Committee, Cecil Kilkenny, said the first draft of the work was submitted on May 15, 2014, while the second draft was submitted on July 2014 and the standing orders were compiled and recommended to enhance the general changes of the administration and the service proposed for implementation.
Those that were implemented include the recommendation of four new posts and the introduction of fortnightly orders with new promotions and procedures for all ranks.
“So when we look at what was going on in the prison service, we noted that the field was not level and that to qualify to become an officer there was not an exam, all you had was what was referred to as a proficiency part A and proficiency part B, and those were only written by junior ranks, after you wrote those examinations as prison officers, there is nothing else in place,” noted Kilkenny.
Director of Prison, Welton Trotz charged his officers to take their responsibility in ensuring that these Standing Orders will be enforced, while noting that it is not only a guide but a standing procedure which needs to be filtered down.
An exam will be written by ranks in order to effect their promotions, in which they will be needed to read the National Document of Standing Orders.
The Home Affairs Minister presented the National Documents to the Director of the Prison Service.
The Standing Orders Committee was put into effect by the ministry, coming out of a board of inquiry which was held to look into the service under the circumstances surrounding the escape of a foreign national prisoner from the Mazaruni prison in March 2012.
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