During the opening ceremony of the Guyana Prison Service’s Chief Officers’ Conference 2025, the Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Robeson Benn, MP, and Director of Prisons (ag), Mr. Nicklon Elliott, delivered powerful addresses underscoring the urgent need for cultural and institutional transformation within the country’s correctional system.

The conference, hosted at the Guyana National Racket Centre, today (Friday, April 11, 2025), under the theme “Changing Mindsets and Culture for Corrections,” brings together senior prison officers from across the country to review operational outcomes, identify institutional challenges, and develop forward-looking strategies for a modern, rehabilitative penal system.

Minister Benn noted, “The hardest part is the soft part.”

Delivering the keynote address, Minister Benn called on prison leadership to embrace rehabilitation as a national responsibility, emphasizing the moral imperative to treat incarcerated persons with dignity and purpose.

“The prison system is a window into our society,” he stated. “It reflects our trauma, our brokenness, and our failures, but also our opportunity to heal. We cannot continue in a vein of cruelty to ourselves. We must offer those who fall the opportunity to rise again.”

The Minister noted that while infrastructure upgrades and new facilities are critical, they must be accompanied by a shift in values, attitudes, and behavior, particularly among those responsible for daily operations.

“Yes, we can build new buildings, bring new equipment, but the hardest part is the soft part,” he said. “Change must come from within us if it is to take root within the prison system.”

Minister Benn advocated for expanded agricultural and vocational training, improved mental health support, stronger incident tracking and recidivism data, and greater diversity awareness within the prison population. He also called for compassionate leadership and reminded officers that:

“These men and women were not born criminals. They are products of our society, many from broken homes, poverty, or neglect. If we do not help them, we fail them, and we fail ourselves.”

Director Elliott stated, “You are the enforcers of change.”

Opening the day’s proceedings, Director of Prisons (ag), Mr. Nicklon Elliott, delivered a focused message on leadership responsibility and policy enforcement. He encouraged the Chief Officers to model accountability and be consistent in implementing the service’s operational standards.

“You are the driving force for the enforcement of SOPs. The Directors can give direction, but you are the ones on the ground, every day,” he told attendees. “Once you understand your role and responsibilities, you are empowered to drive reform.”

Director Elliott highlighted the organization’s shift from a punitive institution to a modern correctional facility aligned with human rights and public safety mandates. He also announced the revision of the Guyana Prison Service’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), now numbering 13, which will track performance metrics including contraband control, staff discipline, incident response, and inmate rehabilitation success.

“This conference gives us an opportunity to review, reflect, and make real improvements,” he said. “If we see discipline issues or contraband entering our facilities, it must be addressed. You are accountable for those outcomes.”

During the two days conference, officers will participate in breakout sessions focused on 2024 performance reviews, infrastructure updates, staffing challenges, and innovative rehabilitation approaches. Both Minister Benn and Director Elliott reaffirmed the government’s support for the prison service, while urging officers to remain committed to ethical conduct, compassionate leadership, and sustained professional development.

“The road ahead is rugged but it’s a road which will lead us to the high road” Minister Benn concluded. “But we are not just building prisons. We are building people, families, and a safer Guyana. The only way forward is to ‘Do The Right Thing’, every day.”