Lewd vehicle art and wording are becoming a public nuisance

Jan 11, 2026 Letters

Dear Editor,

I am writing to raise serious concern about the increasing display of lewd artwork and sexually suggestive wording on vehicles operating on Guyana’s public roads. What was once an occasional nuisance has become common enough that many parents and ordinary road users now feel trapped into witnessing—and explaining—content that does not belong in shared public spaces.

Across various routes, one can see vehicles bearing crude outlines of women stripping, sexually suggestive poses, and vulgar slogans painted or pasted in bold lettering. These displays are not “creative expression” in any harmless sense when they are placed on vehicles that travel through communities, pass schools, and stop at busy junctions where children, families, and commuters gather. Our roads are not nightclubs, and our daily commute should not come with explicit visuals forced on everyone—especially minors.

This issue is bigger than personal taste; it is about public decency, respect, and basic standards. A licensed vehicle is not only private property—it is also part of a regulated public transport environment. Roadworthiness and safety must remain the priority, but so too should professionalism and public responsibility. When a vehicle is openly decorated with obscene imagery or language, it demonstrates disregard for community norms and for the fact that children are constantly watching and reading what is around them.

Many parents can attest to the embarrassment and discomfort this causes. Children are naturally curious; they notice words and pictures quickly and ask questions without warning. Recently, the phrase “hawk tuah” has been splashed and joked about in public spaces, including on vehicles. Parents are then put in the impossible position of being asked by a little child what it means—when it is clearly not a topic suitable for them. No parent should be forced to either lie, stumble through an explanation, or scramble to distract a child because an adult chose to advertise crude content on a vehicle.

For this reason, I believe stronger enforcement is needed. Vehicles displaying explicit artwork or vulgar sexual wording should be denied road licence and certification until the content is removed. Inspections and renewals should include a clear standard for inappropriate visual and written material, with penalties for repeat offenders. Public transport operators, in particular, should be held to a higher expectation of professionalism, since they serve the public directly.

Guyana deserves roads that reflect respect, maturity, and a minimum standard of decency. Freedom of expression should not override the right of families and children to move through public spaces without being confronted by sexualised images and crude phrases. I urge the relevant authorities to act, and I encourage citizens to speak up until this practice is properly addressed.

Sincerely,
Mikoowanyah Yisrael

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