Age-old New Amsterdam Prison to be reconstructed

LATER this year, the New Amsterdam Prison will undergo a multi-billiondollar reconstruction to accommodate prisoners from Regions Five and Six.

This announcement was made by Works Officer of the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), Kurt Joseph, during his address at Thursday’s opening of the Annual Guy- ana Prison Service’s Senior Officers’ Conference.

Earlier this year, it was announced that over $2 billion will be allocated to the GPS for the provision of prisons and the payment of retention.

In addition to the New Amsterdam Prison, the Mazaruni and Lusignan Prisons will also undergo sig- nificant building upgrades. Work has already started at the Lusignan facility.

Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn and other officials who spoke at the conference, emphasised the importance of upholding prisoners’ human rights even as government strives to create a model jail system.

Minister Benn reiterated

Motorcyclist dies in Friendship accident

POLICE are probing a fatal accident that occurred on Friday morning on the Friendship Public Road, East Bank Demerara.

The dead person has been identified as Daniel Marshall, a 42-year-old of Albouystown.

The accident occurred at approximately 06:50 hours and involved motor lorry #GTT 345, driven by Dale Sylvester Wright, a 40-yearold of Tuschen, and motorcycle #CK 8679, owned and driven by Marshall.

According to the police, their investigations have revealed that the motorcycle was proceeding north along the western side of Friendship Public Road at a fast rate of speed. The motorcyclist attempted to overtake a silver-grey motor car (number and make unknown) that was proceeding in the said direction.

In so doing, he lost control of his motorcycle and collided with the rightside rear of the motor lorry, which was proceeding south along the eastern side of the road.

“As a result of the collision, the motorcyclist fell onto the road surface, where he received injuries to his head and body” the police said.

It was further stated that the motorcyclist was picked up in an unconscious condition by the police and public-spirited citizens and placed on the eastern parapet. An ambulance was summoned to the scene with a team of emergency medi - cal technicians who pronounced the motorcyclist dead. that he did not want those individuals to be subjected to physical or emotional abuse, pointing out that the prisoners have the same human rights as anyone else.

The body was later transported to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home to await a post-mortem examination.

The lorry driver is in custody assisting with the investigation.

Meanwhile, according to the Director of Prisons (ag), Nicklon Elliot, over 1,400 prisoners received training in literacy, numeracy, and other subjects in 2022.

Prisoners also received training in behavioural modification, stress and anger management, conflict resolution and other pro - grammes.

Additionally, the Fresh Start Initiative was started, and many prisoners have already benefitted from it.

Ten prisoners were given tools and equipment to assist them to earn a living in fields such as landscaping, carpentry, joinery, welding, and cosmetology.

The three-day conference was hosted under the theme, “Promoting Rehabilitation and Societal Reintegration of the Inmates”.