Teixeira fires back, says Sex Offenders Bill was consulted for a year

Jun 13, 2026 News

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…calls out Min. Manickchand for not responding to draft
…claims critics peddling “misinformation”

(Kaieteur News) – Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira has mounted a robust defence of the controversial Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, dismissing claims that the legislation was rushed or lacked public consultation and accusing critics of spreading misinformation.

In a detailed statement issued on Friday, Teixeira said the proposed legislation underwent an extensive year-long consultation process involving government ministries, legal experts, civil society organisations, faith-based groups, regional representatives and members of the public before being tabled in the National Assembly on June 5.

Her response comes amid mounting criticism over provisions in the bill dealing with the creation of a National Sex Offender Database and the absence of a publicly accessible sex offenders registry.

Teixeira revealed that the review process began under the Support for the Criminal Justice System Programme, which was backed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). A consultant was hired to examine gaps in Guyana’s Sexual Offences Act and recommend reforms aimed at strengthening protections for victims and improving the administration of justice.

According to the Minister, the issue of establishing a sex offenders registry was thoroughly examined. She noted that studies reviewed during the consultation process highlighted concerns that open public registries could infringe on privacy and other human rights. The legal review also found that while many countries maintain sex offender registries, access is generally restricted to law enforcement agencies.

Teixeira said stakeholders who attended a major National Stakeholders Forum in July 2024 overwhelmingly supported the establishment of a national registry but recommended that it remain closed to the public, with information accessible through an application process.

The Minister outlined a lengthy list of consultations that included prosecutors, magistrates, members of the criminal bar, government ministries, constitutional commissions, NGOs, faith-based organisations, indigenous groups, the private sector, trade unions and advocacy groups.

She disclosed that 103 agencies and organisations were invited to the National Stakeholders Forum, with 62 confirming attendance. Participants included representatives from all ten administrative regions as well as organisations involved in child protection, victims’ rights and criminal justice.

Teixeira also pointed to public invitations issued by Attorney General Anil Nandlall in 2024 encouraging citizens and opposition parties to review the draft legislation and submit recommendations.

According to Teixeira a few organisations and individuals responded through email to the Ministry and the media (including Red Thread Guyana, Indigenous Delegation Against Domestic and Sexual Violence,

Danuta Radzik, Vanda Radzik, and Vidyaratha Kissoon) with views on the draft bill.The draft bill remained posted and open for comments for almost a year. “Notably, on 27^th June, 2024, the Guyana Bar Association circulated the draft bill to its membership and specifically invited attorneys-at-law to submit comments, observations, and recommendations in advance of the National Stakeholders Forum scheduled to be held by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance on 3^rd July, 2024,” Teixeira noted. She said this process enabled the

Association’s representatives to attend the Forum with the benefit of feedback from its wider membership, thereby enhancing the quality and breadth of the legal profession’s contribution to the consultation.

“In addition to the above consultations, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, under my leadership coordinated a broad stakeholder engagement as part of the public

consultation process to ensure that the proposed reforms reflected a wide cross-section of views from government agencies, civil society organisations, professional bodies, service providers, and members of the public.

Thereafter, on Wednesday  3^rd July, 2024, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance convened a National Stakeholders Forum on Amendments to the Sexual Offences Act at the Cara Lodge Hotel in the Woodbine Room. One hundred and three (103) agencies and organizations were invited to participate, and sixty-two (62) confirmed attendance.

According to Teixeira the main participants included representatives from the 10 Administrative Regions, Ministries of Health, Education, Human Services and Social Security, and Natural Resources, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force, the Bureau of Statistics, the National Toshaos Council, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as three Amerindian organizations, Faith-Based Organizations for the Hindu, Christian and Muslim faiths, the Guyana Rastafarian Council, trade unions, private sector, Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association, Blossom Inc., Childlink, the LGBTQI community Men on Mission, the Guyana Bar Association, the Guyana Medical Council, the Guyana Nurses Association, and the Commission on Disabilities as well as three constitutional rights.

Notably, Teixeira stated that the then Parliamentary Opposition failed to respond to invitations to provide feedback on the proposed amendments.

Priya called out

The Minister further revealed that while comments were received from several civil society organisations and individuals, former Education Minister Priya Manickchand did not respond when the revised draft was later circulated to key ministers for review.

Teixeira said the bill was subsequently refined through additional technical consultations with police officers, prison officials, probation officers and prosecutors before being delayed by the 2025 General and Regional Elections and the dissolution of Parliament.

She maintained that it is “grossly incorrect” for anyone to suggest that the legislation was not subjected to extensive consultation.

The bill seeks to strengthen Guyana’s sexual offences laws through expanded protections for victims, tougher accountability measures for offenders, mandatory reporting obligations for certain professionals and the creation of a National Sex Offender Database.

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• misinformation, National Sex Offender Database, public consultation, Sexual Offences Bill

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