Between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, a major section of North and Central  Georgetown was left without service after thieves targeted communications cables, in  what One Communications (Guyana) has described as one of the most severe  disruptions for the year due to vandalism.

The company confirmed that copper vandalism has surged in 2025, now responsible for  nearly half of all service interruptions. Alarmingly, vandals have also damaged sections  of the fibre network, mistaking them for copper. This reckless destruction has left households and businesses disconnected, highlighting the growing seriousness of the  issue.

“This is not simply theft, it is a direct attack on people’s ability to work, study, stay in touch  with loved ones, and feel safe in their communities,” said Richard Stanton, Deputy Chief  Executive Officer of One Communications. “The vandals who struck in Bourda are part  of a troubling national trend that is putting our entire communications network at risk.”

Documented incidents of cable vandalism stretch across Guyana, including in South and  North Ruimveldt, Lodge, Werk en Rust, Albouystown, Bourda, South and North  Cummingsburg, Subryanville, Kingston and several East Bank communities. Images and  videos show cables slashed and poles stripped, sometimes during the day time.

One Communications is urging the public to play an active role by reporting any  suspicious activity through hotline 0663 and by staying updated via the company’s social  media channels.

To strengthen the national response, One Communications is working in partnership with  regulators including Office of the Prime Minister, the Scrap Metal Unit and the Guyana  Police Force to curb the trade in stolen copper and to bring perpetrators to justice.

While the Company’s emergency teams are working around the clock to restore service,  the company emphasised that a key long-term solution is customer migration to fibre in  designated areas.

“These acts of vandalism undermine safety, disrupts education, and slows economic  growth,” the company added. “This is now a national crisis that requires collective action  from all stakeholders, law enforcement, regulators, businesses, communities, and  citizens alike.”

One Communications reassures its customers that despite these challenges, the  company remains fully committed to delivering reliable and secure connectivity, and  thanks all customers for their patience and cooperation as prevention and restoration  efforts continue.