Sexual Offences Amendment Bill sent to special Select Committee
July 29 2026
The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2026 has been referred to a Special Select Committee of the National Assembly for detailed scrutiny following its presentation by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, during Monday’s sitting at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
The bill proposes amendments to the Sexual Offences Act, Cap. 8:03, aimed at strengthening Guyana’s laws on sexual offences and providing for the establishment of a National Sex Offender Database.
Presenting the legislation, Dr. Persaud said the proposed changes are designed to strengthen protections for vulnerable adults and children while addressing shortcomings identified in the existing law.
Minister Persaud explained that this is a pivotal piece of legislation and a moral and legal obligation to protect the most vulnerable in our society.
Dr. Persaud said the amendments build on the Sexual Offences Act of 2010, which she described as an important and progressive framework for protecting victims of sexual offences.
However, she noted that a review of the legislation identified several gaps requiring stronger legal safeguards.
“It is time to move this piece of legislation to close those gaps and inadequacies and to close them with robust, modern and uncompromising measures,”
The minister said the proposed reforms were developed following a nationwide consultation and gap analysis involving the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, constitutional and rights commissions, members of the judiciary and legal profession, civil society organisations, faith-based groups, Indigenous and regional leaders, as well as representatives of the disciplined services and public service.
Among the key proposals are updated legal definitions and terminology, provisions for digital and visual evidence, stronger privacy protections for victims, increased accountability in reporting by healthcare workers and police, and the establishment of both a National Sexual Offences Task Force and a National Sex Offender Database.
The National Assembly agreed, under Standing Order 58, to refer the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2026 (Bill No. 6 of 2026) to a Special Select Committee for detailed examination.
