Director of Prisons Nicklon Elliot encouraged prison ranks on Wednesday to take advantage of the various training and other opportunities available through the service.
The Prison head was giving an address during the quarterly muster and general inspection of officers at the prison headquarters.
Elliot stated that the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) has a positive outlook on staff education, as evidenced by the management structures being developed to continually encourage officers to take advantage of training opportunities available locally, regionally, or internationally to improve their personal skills.
He said that this is the service’s strategic plan, which recognises that human capital is essential for maintaining safe daily operations; therefore, among its eight pillars, “Enhancing Human Resource Management and Development” ranks among the top three.
In a proper manner, the management focuses on promoting effective management of the GPS’s mandate to successfully rehabilitate and reintegrate law offenders by improving human resource capacity within the service.
Elliot also emphasised that improved training for prison officers is crucial in helping the prison system fulfill its rehabilitative goals, indicating that rehabilitation is most effective when conducted by well-trained and experienced officers.
The Prison head also emphasised that enhancing the effectiveness of rehabilitative initiatives can only be achieved by prioritising ongoing, relevant training as a crucial factor in ensuring prisons have sufficient numbers of skilled, experienced officers.
He stressed that the prison administration will continue to provide in-service training courses to uphold and enhance the knowledge and professional capacity of its personnel, both upon commencement and throughout their tenure.
