Increased prison population driving up costs

The increase of around 116 inmates across Guyana in 2015 saw the Ministry of Public Security spending more than is budgeted to cater for prisoners during the year.

The National Assembly this afternoon approved $13.6 Million that was spent by the Ministry in 2015 to provide meals for inmates in the country’s prisons.

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, pointed out that there was an increase in the prices for food supplies and the special dietary requirements for inmates with chronic diseases and those who are HIV positive.

According to the Minister, there has also been price increases for diary, vegetable and meat products due to the prolonged dry season.

To remedy this issue, it was revealed to the House that moves are being made to equip and restart prisons farms at locations across Guyana but, Minister Ramjattan pointed out that the “prison system will never be totally self-sufficient”.

The Minister also informed the House that the prison population has increased “from 1994 inmates as at January 01, 2015 to 2113 inmates as at December 20, 2016”. The original amount approved during the passage of the 2015 National Budget amounted t0 $90 Million dollars.

(Modified from GINA)