In a move to modernise the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), two specialised training programmes — Strategic Correctional Leadership and Mental and Neurological Health — were launched on Tuesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre as part of the Annual Senior Correctional Officers Conference 2026. The initiative marks the first time the University of Guyana (UoG) will deliver specialised training for senior prison leadership, forming a landmark partnership between the two institutions.
Deputy Director of Prisons Kevin Pilgrim, speaking at the launch, said the courses align with the conference’s theme of fostering growth, driving synergy and securing the future of corrections. He reaffirmed the GPS’s commitment to regional cooperation, expressing ambition for the service to one day be part of a unified Caribbean correctional body. “The Guyana Prison Service is committed towards that process. We will humble ourselves; we will share our resources; we will seek to collaborate with everyone who has that vision and is pushing towards a unified Caribbean that we will one day see a Caribbean correctional service,” he said.
Funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, the Mental and Neurological Health course will equip officers with tools to identify and manage mental, neurological and substance use disorders, respond to emergencies, and better understand stigma and vulnerabilities within the prison population. The Strategic Correctional Leadership course, designed by Lecturer Dr Mishel Moriah, aims to strengthen decision-making and leadership among senior officers in line with the GPS mandate for prison reform and correctional management. The 15-week, four-credit programme applies to senior officers with at least ten years of service, a recognised bachelor’s degree and relevant correctional training, and is fully accredited with a pathway to further academic advancement. The Annual Senior Correctional Officers Conference 2026 is set to conclude on March 20.
