During his end-of-year press conference on Saturday, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, S.C., announced significant developments aimed at enhancing crime-fighting initiatives across the CARICOM region. On Monday, February 17, 2025, three new bills will be presented in the National Assembly.

These proposed legislative measures are designed to strengthen Guyana’s approach to combating crime while fostering greater collaboration within the region’s security framework. The bills include the CARICOM Arrest Warrant Bill, the Advanced Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Bill, and the Regional Security Systems Bill. “These three Bills represent CARICOM-modelled legislation that will be uniformly adopted across the region,” Nandlall stated during his weekly program, “Issues in the News,” on Tuesday.

He emphasized that Guyana is required to enact these laws in line with various regional treaties it has committed to, ensuring that criminals are held accountable under a consistent legal framework throughout the region, regardless of national boundaries. The CARICOM Arrest Warrant Bill will facilitate the enforcement of warrants issued in one member state within another member state seamlessly.

Additionally, the Advanced Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Bill aims to establish a central database containing details of all passengers traveling through the region, allowing member states to access vital information. Furthermore, the Regional Security Systems Bill aligns with Guyana’s recent accession to the Regional Security System in 2022. “While many countries have already enacted this legislation, Guyana just joined the RSS and is now taking steps to integrate it into our crime-fighting strategies,” Nandlall remarked.