The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has defended the controversial closed-registry provisions contained in the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2026, arguing that the model reflects the outcome of extensive public consultations and aligns with the approach adopted by most countries with sex offender registries.
The ministry’s statement comes amid fierce criticism from the opposition Alliance For Change (AFC), which has called for the bill to be withdrawn and for Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Vindhya Persaud, to resign. The AFC argues that the proposed amendments place too much emphasis on protecting convicted offenders and not enough on safeguarding victims and the public.
Among the AFC’s concerns are the bill’s closed-registry model, provisions allowing certain offenders to be exempted from registration, and reporting requirements that would permit offenders in some communities to report to a Toshao rather than directly to police. The party has also contended that the legislation sends the wrong message at a time when Guyana continues to grapple with high levels of rape, child sexual abuse, statutory rape, and adolescent pregnancy.
In response, the ministry maintained that the legislation strengthens, rather than weakens, protections for victims and communities.
The bill, which seeks to amend Guyana’s Sexual Offences Act of 2010, would establish the country’s first national sex offender registry while introducing a range of other reforms aimed at strengthening the handling of sexual offence cases. According to the ministry, the amendments also provide for the removal of time limitations on prosecuting sexual offences and seek to address legislative gaps and operational deficiencies identified over the past 15 years.
“The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2026 marks a historic milestone as Guyana introduces its first-ever sex offenders registry, joining dozens of nations globally in deploying this critical public safety tool,” the ministry stated.
According to the ministry, the legislation is the product of an extensive consultation process.
“This landmark bill is the product of a proactive and inclusive national consultation. To ensure total transparency and maximum civic participation, the draft legislation was subjected to widespread in-person consultations and was hosted publicly on the official website of the Ministry of Legal Affairs for two years to facilitate public input and recommendations.”
The ministry said more than 60 civil society organisations, members of the judiciary, legal practitioners, prosecutors, police officials, and faith-based organisations participated in discussions on the proposed reforms. It further stated that the consultations overwhelmingly supported both the establishment of a sex offender registry and the adoption of a closed-registry model.
The issue of public access has emerged as the central point of contention surrounding the bill.
Under the proposed amendments, the National Sex Offender Database would be maintained by the Commissioner of Police and would not be openly accessible to the general public. The legislation also creates penalties for persons granted access to registry information who unlawfully disclose that information.
However, the ministry rejected claims that the registry would be hidden from public scrutiny.
“Contrary to the misinformation that is circulating, this registry is accessible to the public through a procedure outlined in the legislation, which requires an application to be made for the information on persons who are subjects of the registry.”
The ministry explained that parents, guardians, and care-adjacent employers would be able to formally apply for information about individuals listed on the registry, while convicted offenders would be subject to ongoing reporting requirements and monitoring by law enforcement authorities.
Comparable to Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom
An examination of international sex offender registration systems suggests that Guyana’s proposed framework closely resembles the models used in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and many European jurisdictions, where registries are generally restricted to law enforcement and authorised users rather than being publicly searchable.
Canada’s National Sex Offender Registry, for example, is maintained by police authorities and is not open to the public. Its primary purpose is to assist law enforcement in preventing and investigating sexual crimes. Similar restricted-access systems exist throughout much of the Commonwealth and Europe.
By contrast, the United States remains one of the few jurisdictions with broad public sex offender registries that allow citizens to search offender information online. Research and policy reviews in several countries have raised concerns that fully public registries can lead to vigilantism, harassment of offenders’ families, and offenders seeking to evade monitoring.
The ministry echoed those concerns in its statement.
“In fact, numerous international jurisdictions have actively closed their previously open registries and transitioned to this exact model to eliminate the counterproductive impacts of public databases, such as driving offenders into hiding, inciting vigilantism, and causing damage to innocent family members, including children who may bear the devastating consequences, like bullying, physical and emotional ostracism, because of someone else’s actions.”
The statement added: “Should family members, especially children, face these dire consequences simply because of their relation?”
“It is to guard against these unintended consequences that a penalty is imposed on those who make unauthorised disclosures.”
However, the debate in Guyana extends beyond the technical design of the registry. While the Government has cited international best practices and consultation outcomes, opponents of the closed-registry model argue that comparisons with countries such as Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom do not fully account for Guyana’s unique political and social environment. They contend that public confidence in accountability mechanisms must be viewed within the context of a small society where political influence, personal relationships and unequal power dynamics have often shaped public perceptions of justice.
These concerns are informed by past high-profile allegations involving politically connected individuals, where public attention often shifted from the alleged conduct of the accused to the credibility and character of complainants. In one widely publicised case involving allegations against a former government minister and a teenage girl, many observers argued that the young complainant was subjected to intense public scrutiny and criticism while significant political and social pressure surrounded the matter. For some, the episode highlighted the challenges vulnerable victims may face when allegations involve powerful individuals and reinforced the importance of ensuring that accountability mechanisms inspire public trust.
Those concerns have become part of the broader discussion surrounding the proposed registry. While many accept that closed registries are common internationally, questions remain about whether a system that relies heavily on official channels to access information will command the same level of public confidence in Guyana’s circumstances.
The ministry nevertheless maintains that the registry should be viewed as only one component of a broader legislative framework designed to improve victim protection, strengthen offender monitoring, and make the prosecution of sexual offences more effective.
“While this modernised legislation remains open to future refinement as society evolves, it represents a decisive advancement in protecting Guyanese communities and strengthening the rule of law.”
The bill is expected to face continued scrutiny in the National Assembly as lawmakers debate the balance between public access to offender information, victim protection, offender monitoring and rehabilitation. The controversy has also intensified public discussion about how best to respond to sexual violence in Guyana, where children and adolescent girls continue to account for the majority of victims of reported sexual offences
