Attorney General Responds to Concerns Over Pre-Trial Detention, Prison Reform
By Tiana Cole, HGP Nightly News
Following the release of the 2024 Human Rights Report, which criticized Guyana for lengthy pre-trial detention—where detainees account for 41% of the prison population and often spend an average of three years awaiting trial—Attorney General Anil Nandlall says reforms are underway but challenges remain.
In a sit-down interview with journalist Leroy Smith, Nandlall acknowledged the issue as “serious and complex,” stressing that overcrowded prisons have plagued the country for decades.
The Attorney General pointed to measures already introduced, including:
- Abolishing preliminary inquiries, which slowed justice delivery.
- Establishing a Law Reform Commission and sentencing guidelines for the judiciary.
- Expanding the complement of judges.
- Utilizing an IDB loan to target prison overcrowding and judicial inefficiencies.
Nandlall highlighted progress made in reducing the prison population through new laws that consolidate alternative sentencing measures. He also confirmed that a draft Prison Bill has been completed and will undergo final consultations before reaching Cabinet.
“It shifts the emphasis away from punitive to rehabilitative and reformative. It mandates improvement and rehabilitation programs,” Nandlall said.
The Attorney General added that more than 150 prison officers have already been trained and certified in modern techniques, underscoring the government’s focus on professionalizing the corrections system.
Still, he admitted that while efficiency in the judicial system has improved, much more must be done on the prison side to fully resolve the problem.
