Government advances Sexual Offences Law reform
June 10 2026
Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has announced that the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, which was presented in the National Assembly on June 5, 2026, will be sent to a Select Committee for further review.
Dr Jagdeo stated that President Dr Irfaan Ali has directed that the legislation undergo detailed scrutiny at the committee level before further consideration in Parliament.
He further noted that it is the view of the President and Cabinet that any sex offenders register established under the Bill should be made public, a position he said he strongly supports.
See full statement posted to the VP’s social media platform: 
The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2026 introduces Guyana’s first sex offenders registry and forms part of wider reforms aimed at strengthening the legal framework governing sexual offences. The legislation also seeks to address existing gaps in the 2010 Sexual Offences Act, including strengthening protections for victims, improving court procedures, and removing time limitations for prosecuting such offences.
According to an official statement from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security dated June 9, 2026, the Bill was developed following extensive national consultations involving civil society organisations, legal professionals, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, prosecutors and faith-based groups.
The ministry said the consultation process also included the public posting of the draft legislation for input over a two-year period, with contributions from more than 60 stakeholder groups.
The statement explained that the registry model adopted in the Bill reflects the outcome of these consultations, which supported a closed registry system. It noted that such systems are used in a majority of jurisdictions and are designed to balance public safety with protections against unintended harm, including risks of vigilantism and social stigma affecting offenders’ families.
While access to the registry is not fully public, the system will allow authorised individuals to apply for information through established legal procedures. The legislation also imposes reporting requirements on offenders as part of ongoing monitoring measures.
The Bill is expected to undergo further review as it progresses through the parliamentary process.
