Cyber crimes are no crimes in Guyana

Nov 29, 2012 Editorial

Computers came to Guyana more than three decades ago. Of course the first computers were little better than glorified typewriters. They were ridiculously slow and could process precious little. There was no internet and all the chats and social networks were simply not there.
Indeed in Guyana, these computers replaced the ticker tape that brought news feeds from the wider world and aided in the transmission of news from the rural community.
Since then things have come a long way. Not only do computers provide information and ready access to the world, they also are tools to fashion just about anything. The daily newspapers are no longer the technical things they used to be; they are all produced on a computer. Editors and publishers can actually see the finished product in living colour before the newspaper comes off the press. None can deny that the computer is a more than useful gadget.
In many countries information is stored on the computer to the extent that law enforcement agents can access information on an individual from within the confines of their vehicles. They can track vehicles, weapons and people without the legwork of years gone by. Guyana should have been at that stage, had it not been for the reluctance to spend money in that direction.
There has been talk for years about computerizing anything. The various registries should have been computerized so that any information was only a click away. These agencies may be progressing in that direction, but the move is as slow as molasses flowing up a hill. The National Insurance Scheme, which must serve more than 600,000 people, is not yet computerized, to the extent that records for contributors from the early days cannot be located.
It is not unusual for people in those countries that have fully embraced computerization to pay fines to the courts, update their personal documents and even shop online. The computer has made it possible for just about everything to be done within the confines of the home.
Yet for all the good there are negatives and Guyana is nowhere near to deal with the negatives. In Guyana we hear of identity theft. People simply use the computer to become someone else. With this information they have accessed people’s accounts and have caused a great deal of inconvenience.
Just recently, some smart people were able to use the social security numbers of children yet unborn to good effect, to the point where the child has been saddled with untold debt. It would not be surprising if these children find that they have criminal records before they could walk. But there are laws to deal with the scammers and the penalty is severe.
Guyana has no such laws. This is why the Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Power and Light, Bharat Dindyal, could only monitor attempts to hack into his system with a view to stealing electricity. Guyana should have realized that computer hacking would come to these shores once it existed in the outside world. Yet the authorities never contemplated legislation to deal with hacking.
We know that there have been attempts to hack into the commercial banks. Whether these attempts have been successful, it has never been declared and for good reason. We know that just about every installation in the most developed country has been hacked. The Central Intelligence Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and even the companies that make the computers and the people who monitor the internet have been hacked.
Yet Guyana continues to sit idly by as though it is immune. And it is not that Government systems have not been hacked. In fact, the very government has people who are said to be hacking into those systems that the government finds interesting.
As things stand, if a man hacks into a commercial bank and transfers a lot of money he has committed no crime. The old laws simply stipulate that there must be the physical removal of property for there to be theft. The lawmakers cannot be so naïve in this day and age. But then again, some things are of little interest to the government. Unless the very government is under threat there is hardly likely to be any movement toward legislation to combat cyber crimes.

Latest News

Cyber crimes are no crimes in Guyana

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 27th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Olympic Kremlin crowned Horse-of-the-Year at One Guyana Thoroughbred...

Guyana Squash Association celebrates historic...

Western Tigers will be 50 this year ‘2025’

UG Honours outstanding athletes at Annual Sports...

East Bank Pool Club set to Cue Off 2025...

Guyana Police Force Senior Officers defeat...

Features/Columnists

The government is in choppy waters

OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus

Half price electricity by half year

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Cyber crimes are no crimes in Guyana

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 27th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]