Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, revealed that the government is engaged in discussions to formalise joint border operations among Guyana’s security agencies.
Addressing the Police Officers’ Conference on Wednesday, President Ali emphasised that the proposed inter-agency operations framework is designed to unify the efforts of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).
“I’ve mandated the Chief of Defence Staff, Commissioner of Police, and the director of NISA, the director of CANU…and I’ve already discussed with the governor of Roraima for us to develop an integrated joint strike force,” President Ali revealed.
He told reporters that this will improve intelligence-sharing and enhance operational collaboration along Guyana’s border in an effort to tackle threats, including narcotics trafficking, illegal crossings, and other transnational crimes.
Additionally, the president revealed that the government is working to integrate technology that enhances real-time monitoring and situational awareness. This, he said, will enable security agencies to better understand and respond to activities along the country’s borders.
The security reforms also include the introduction of specialised customs scanners, which have already been ordered.
When operational, the system will ensure all baggage is scanned, reducing reliance on manual inspection.
President Ali said under the security model, a self-declaration system will be enforced through universal scanning, removing discretionary enforcement and placing responsibility on travellers to accurately declare items.
President Ali said that legislative amendments are expected to support a structured penalty framework.
“We can’t want the best system and don’t have these penalties,” he stated. “It will be self-declaration. If on the first occasion, you have a wrong declaration, there will be a heavy fine. The second occasion, there will be a heavier fine and [on] the third occasion, there will be jail time,” the president explained.