Caption: President Irfaan Ali addressing the the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) Annual Senior Corrections Officers Conference on Monday

Summary

• School Gang Crisis: President Irfaan Ali has warned of a ‘pandemic of gangs’ infiltrating secondary schools across Guyana, urging immediate, root-cause interventions.
• Community Action Needed: Speaking at a corrections officers conference, Ali called for a coordinated effort among religious groups, civil society, and community leaders to reach vulnerable youth.
• Addressing Root Causes: The President highlighted that the normalization of violence, childhood trauma, and the influence of drug lords are key drivers of youth crime.
• Focus on Prevention: Ali stressed that the country’s first order of business must be early intervention and prevention, rather than relying solely on punishment.
• Officer Welfare Boost: Shifting focus to the Guyana Prison Service, Ali highlighted a 40 percent salary increase over the last five years and expanded access to higher education to ensure officers can retire with dignity and transition smoothly into civilian careers.

 

GEORGETOWN – President Irfaan Ali on Monday warned of a “pandemic of gangs” infiltrating secondary schools across Guyana, calling for immediate action to tackle the issue at its root.

“We have to take the bull by the horns. We have to get in our secondary schools. We have a pandemic of gangs in the secondary schools across the region now… we have to get into those schools, into those communities, into those homes,” Ali said during the opening of the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) Annual Senior Corrections Officers Conference.

He told the conference that interventions must reach schools, communities, and homes, calling for a coordinated effort involving religious groups, civil society, and community leaders to identify at-risk areas and vulnerable youth.

Highlighting the social factors contributing to crime, President Ali noted that some children grow up in environments shaped by trauma, a lack of positive role models, and the influence of gang leaders and drug lords.

“If crime is normalised, that is going to be a learned behaviour. If violence is normalised, that is going to be a learned behaviour,” he said, adding that the priority in building secure communities must be to support youth through targeted reorientation and early interventions.

“This is not just about punishment; it is about prevention. Our first order of business in creating a secure country and community must be to avoid persons going down the wrong path,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of State sought to assure GPS members that his government is working to ensure officers retire with dignity and have opportunities for continued participation in the economy. He said efforts are actively being made to equip officers with the education and skills needed to transition into life after retirement.

“Beyond that is allowing you the luxury of comfort to know that there is life after retirement, and we’re preparing you for that life,” President Ali said. He added that the government has expanded access to higher education opportunities for prison officers so they can develop professionally while serving.

“Today, we can celebrate hundreds of your officers having a diploma, a degree, or a master’s, because the government has given you access to these options,” Ali said. These initiatives, he noted, form part of a broader effort to ensure officers can move confidently into another phase of their lives after leaving the service.

“With your experience, a degree, and a master’s, you will be journeying into another phase of your life with confidence, knowing that you will still be needed in the economy,” he said.

The President also highlighted tangible improvements in the welfare of prison officers, pointing to salaries increasing by 40 percent over the last five years.

“Do not take that for granted. That is part of our programme of allowing you to retire in dignity, retiring in honour,” Ali told the conference. (CMC)