ATTORNEY GENERAL (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, recently announced that the Border Patrol Bill will soon be presented to Parliament. That was disclosed during his ‘Issues in the News’ programme on Tuesday evening.

The minister stated the bill aims to establish a framework for bolstering Guyana’s border security.

“This bill is intended to create a framework for officers to be appointed, and who will perform specific functions in relation to protecting, monitoring, guarding and patrolling our borders… This bill was drafted even before this referendum and before the heightened provocative actions of Venezuela. I believe the bill has now assumed paramount importance.”

Minister Nandlall elaborated on the role of the proposed border patrol unit: “The Border Patrol Bill seeks to create a group dedicated to border patrol and protection, as well as border monitoring. Working alongside the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force, this additional mechanism strengthens our capacity to protect our territorial integrity, particularly in vast border areas.”

The Attorney General highlighted that Guyana’s lengthy borders have been challenging to monitor and patrol adequately, and expressed optimism that the Border Patrol Bill will offer the necessary human resources and tools to improve surveillance of the country’s frontiers.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali initially revealed plans for establishing a border patrol unit during his maiden speech at the opening of the 12th Parliament.

He emphasised its significance in strengthening Guyana’s border security: “We’ll also be strengthening our ability to secure our borders with establishment of a border patrol unit,” he said, adding that “special legislation is being drafted to give effect to this.”

During his 2021 budget presentation, AG Nandlall further detailed their intentions, stating that: “From a defence point of view, in order to strengthen our ability to protect our borders, a Bill is being drafted for the establishment of a Border Patrol Unit which will supplement the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force in securing and protecting our borders.”

As tensions with Venezuela escalated, government officials and members of the political opposition convened for a special National Assembly session. They solidified their unified position in support of a motion laid in the National Assembly that reinforced both the 1899 Arbitral Award and the 1966 Geneva Agreement. The motion, condemning Venezuela’s referendum to annex and integrate the Essequibo region and reaffirming Guyana’s sole claim to Essequibo, was unanimously passed on Monday evening.