Edghill warns street light thieves will be prosecuted

Jan 17, 2026 News

(Kaieteur News) – Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill issued a stern warning on Friday, that anyone caught with stolen street lights will face the full force of the law.

The minister issued the warning while visiting a crush and run stock pile site at Providence, East Bank Demerara, where a number of containers containing lights are stored.

The minister noted that while the lights are part of a national programme to improve security of citizens and enhance the conditions of communities countrywide, there have been some concerns with theft after the lights are being installed.

Edghill warns street light thieves will be prosecuted

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill

“There are some concerns that I need to bring to the public’s attention. Let me just give you an example, the traffic chief, after an accident took place at the roundabout on Heroes Highway, brought to my attention that a female driver with her children hit into one of the barriers, and that could have been as a result of inadequate lighting. I immediately contacted our team at the ministry and ask them to do a night audit so that we can improve lighting. They went, (and) they installed 10 additional lights at the roundabout to ensure that safety is number one priority. As I stand here, three of those lights have already been stolen,” he explained.

Urging persons to desist from removing the lights, the minister stated, “And I want to make it very clear, anybody who’s been caught with stolen government of Guyana lights, you will face the full force of the law.”

He said the ministry will now laser mark every light going out for installation.

“Citizens, Guyanese, while we’re trying to improve the lives of everybody, security in this country is everybody’s business…Persons have called us and indicated to us the lights have gone up. They have enjoyed it for two three days, and when they come out on the veranda the third night, the light is not there, it’s gone. So, we are improving on our marking, because in order for us to prosecute people who are found with these lights, we need to ensure that we have a secure marking,” the minister said.

Minister Edghill also appealed to citizens who see and have information of people stealing or removing the lights, to contact the ministry’s hotline number.

“You can call, send images as well as give information and we promise you your information provided will be treated with the utmost confidence, and the security forces will have to do their job,” he disclosed.

Speaking on the lights programme, the public works minister said the government has made a commitment to improve citizen security and community security, and one of the initiatives in doing so was the installation of street lights to ensure that in communities where people traverse and the main roads where people have to move, that it is properly illuminated.

This he noted is to reduce the risk and the incidence of theft, harassment, or any criminal activity.

“We would have announced that we went out for procurement of 100,000 street lights. We have started that program. We have already installed close to 18,000 lights in various communities, and we are now, with the delivery from the suppliers, ramping up this activity across the entire country,” he stated.

In having these lights installed, the minister added that they have dozens of contractors who have the capacity with their bucket trucks to help install and this is being done on a fixed rate basis.

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Bishop Juan Edghill, prosecuted, street light, Thieves

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