Govt says explicitly supports open sex offenders register, after push-back against Bill for closed register

Reacting to the Human Services and Social Security Minister’s reference to public consultations, several persons indicated that they were unaware of them. “When and where was this public consultation held ? when and where was it advertised?,” asked Ms Jaya Manickchand, a sister of government minister Priya Manickchand. Dr Persaud did not answer that question but stated that “these public consultations were done by Dr. Kim Kyte as the consultant through the Ministry of Legal Affairs.” Another commenter recommended that the consultations be properly advertised and held again after which a matrix could be compiled and shared with the public to show that it was attended by and captured a broader spectrum of stakeholders which informed the decision of an open or closed register.

There were also mixed views about whether the sex offenders register should be closed, with one commenter cautioning that an open register does not allow convicts to rehabilitate but stigmatised for the remainder of their lives. “It unfairly ruins the lives of innocent people who have been wrongfully accused, destroying their personal and professional futures before they can clear their names. Furthermore, it denies a second chance to individuals who made severe mistakes as teenagers often influenced by drugs, alcohol, or immaturity. If society offers murderers a path to rehabilitation and privacy after their sentence, we should offer the same opportunity for a second chance to these individuals,” he said.

“How would a closed register help anyone? Residents need to know who is living around them. It’s unfortunate that it took Guyana until 2026 to get this done and it’s of no use to anyone,” Harry Chowbey, another commenter said.

The small non-parliamentary opposition Alliance For Change (AFC) questioned said the proposed amendment  is unworthy of the National Assembly and amounted to a slap in the face of the many women, men, and children who have suffered sexual abuse. “It sends a troubling message that the concerns of victims are secondary to the interests of offenders,” the AFC said in a statement.

The AFC asked what makes the minister believe that offenders would willing comply with a requirement for convicted offenders to report to a Toshao (Indigenous Amerindian Village Chief) in communities where there are no police. That party also objected to the Bill providing exemptions for certain offenders from being placed on the registry. While most reasonable people would agree that records involving minors should, in appropriate circumstances, be sealed, the AFC wants to know who determines whether an offender is mentally disabled for the purpose of exemption. “If a court has convicted an individual of a sexual offence, it suggests that any defence based on mental incapacity was either unsuccessful or insufficient to prevent a finding of guilt,” the AFC said.