Sex offender database to be implemented in Guyana

Apr 08, 2025 News

By Shania Williams

Kaieteur News- For the first time in its history, Guyana is set to introduce a national sex offender database as part of a suite of proposed amendments to the Sexual Offences Act.

Sex offender database to be implemented in Guyana

This was revealed by Attorney-at-Law Kim Kyte-Thomas during her presentation at the ‘Asking for It’ exhibition symposium held at the Umana Yana where the amendments were discussed. The primary objective of the new database is to enhance the protection of children and vulnerable adults who may be in close proximity to sexual offenders.

The initiative is part of the broader Sexual Offences Amendment Bill 2024, which seeks to address and improve the country’s response to sexual offenses. Kyte-Thomas explained that the amendment aims to first establish a national sex offenders database. She elaborated, saying, “The amendment outlines the requirements for maintaining, securing, and restricting access to the database. It also imposes penalties for unauthorised distribution of information and mandates that offenders must register upon conviction and comply with reporting requirements during their sentence.”

The database will apply to all citizens of Guyana who have been convicted of an enterable offense, both within the country and abroad. However, it will not apply to children or individuals with a mental disability.

The responsibility for establishing and managing the database will fall under the office of the Commissioner of Police. Kyte-Thomas clarified that everyone will be eligible to access the database by submitting a written application to the commissioner of police about a specific sex offender. She explained,” You make an application because you believe that let us say Tom Jones is moving in next to you, you have children and you have vulnerable persons, so you make an application to see if Tom Jones is on the register.”

In addition to the database, the reporting duties under the Sex Offenders Act will also be enforced. According to Kyte-Thomas, the court will issue an order upon conviction, requiring offenders to register and report to the police. This is to ensure that all sex offenders are on the sex offender’s database. “So this will be a court order, so it’s not a case where you say you don’t feel like, it will be a court order. That court order will then be served to the commissioner of police who has to carry out his requisite role. Just before the person is discharged the police will send somebody to the prison and take down the information so they can track who these offenders are,” Kyte-Thomas explained.”

The goal of these measures is to monitor sexual offenders effectively, as Kyte-Thomas pointed out that there are many offenders in Guyana that the public is unaware of. She commended the new amendment, stating, “This is one of the most modern acts we need here in Guyana.”

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindyha Persaud, also shared her support for the initiative in an interview with reporters. “I think it would be a very progressive piece of legislation once it emerges from the consultation phase and the final draft is completed,” she said. “But it is very important for me to say that the existing 2010 Sexual Offences Act is very robust, very modern for its time, and even now surpasses any other piece of legislation in this part of the world.” When asked about the timeline for the implementation of the new act, Persaud was unable to provide an exact date. However, she emphasised that numerous consultations had taken place before the amendment was drafted.

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