-Serious crime down by 25.5 per cent – Minister Walrond
With security being positioned as the pillar of development in Guyana, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond outlined significant gains in national security and crime reduction.
Addressing the National Assembly during the Budget 2026 debate on Friday, Minister Walrond reported that crime has declined by 25.5 per cent over the last five years.
She also noted that recidivism rates in Guyana currently stand at 14 per cent, the lowest in the region, compared to regional averages of 40 to 50 per cent.
Giving her full support to Budget 2026, the minister described it as a people-centred financial plan that continues to strengthen Guyana’s law enforcement architecture.
The minister attributed these improvements to historic levels of investment in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) between 2020 and 2025, investments that will continue in 2026.
She explained that the decline in crime is being driven by intelligence-led policing, expanded surveillance infrastructure, increased police presence, strengthened community policing partnerships, and sustained investment in training and human capital.
The minister noted that public safety remains a key component of Guyana’s continued economic transformation.
Minister Walrond also reaffirmed the government’s firm commitment to enforcing Guyana’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework.
She cautioned that reducing enforcement might harm banking relationships, raise risks for investors, and jeopardise the country’s financial sector.
Meanwhile, the minister outlined the legal scope of money laundering offences, explaining that proceeds of crime include property derived directly or indirectly from criminal activity, including assets that have been converted, transformed, or intermingled with legitimate funds.
“Guyana is on a trajectory of important nation-building. Our financial sector and our financial regime have to be protected,” the minister stated before adding, “and we will continue to protect it from crime and proceeds of crime and anything that will derail the growth and trajectory of nation-building that we are on.”
Budget 2026, themed “Putting People First”, continues to prioritise investments that safeguard communities while supporting Guyana’s expanding economy.