—signals further amendments to strengthen road-safety framework
ATTORNEY GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC., has announced that government is moving to introduce a centralised digital registry to track the full driving history of road users, as part of a broader push to strengthen enforcement and restore discipline on the nation’s roadways.
In a statement on Thursday, Nandlall said that “the Safe Country initiative remains among our government’s highest priorities. Making our roadways and public places safer is a crucial factor in this equation.”
As such, he announced that his chambers will launch an initiative involving the Ministry of Home Affairs; Ministry of the Public Service & Government Efficiency; the Guyana Police Force; the National Data Management Authority and other important stakeholders to construct and populate a digital registry with crucial information of road users, including data regarding their licensing particulars and their antecedents as road users, including previous charges and/or convictions of road-traffic and related offences.
The system will be accessible to several state bodies, including the Judiciary; the Director of Public Prosecutions; the Guyana Police Force; the Guyana Prison Service; the Probation Department; and the Guyana Revenue Authority.
“This measure will allow for greater and more efficient enforcement of our road-traffic legislative framework, specifically, the diligent enforcement of penalties such as the Demerit Point System that authorises the suspension and revocation of drivers’ licences,” the statement added.
The move comes as a directive of President, Dr Irfaan Ali, who had already signalled further tightening of the legislative framework to address persistent enforcement challenges.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on Wednesday, the Head of State said the Attorney General has been tasked with preparing additional amendments for Parliament within three weeks.
“Though we have increased the fines and have some of the harshest fines for different traffic offences… the enforcement is a problem, but we’re improving enforcement with the cameras,” President Ali said.
He added that further measures are being examined to close gaps in compliance and ensure stricter accountability.
“I’ve asked the Attorney General to once again look at what additional measures will be needed… and have all of these amendments ready for the Parliament, because these are key and critical,” he said.
The President also underscored that road safety must be treated as a priority, noting that what may seem like minor breaches often have serious consequences.
“We cannot develop a society without care and without attention to these… very important details, if our society is to be disciplined,” he added.
In keeping with that directive, AG Nandlall confirmed that a new wave of legislative amendments is ready, targeting not only traffic violations, but also broader public-order issues such as noise nuisance, particularly from motor vehicles, and littering in public places.
“Based upon His Excellency’s direction, the Attorney General’s Chambers is ready with a new wave of legislative amendments… to address issues such as noise nuisance… and littering in public places,” Nandlall said.
The push for stronger measures comes against the backdrop of a troubling road-safety landscape. For the year so far, more than 30 persons have lost their lives in road accidents across Guyana, with speeding identified as a leading cause in the majority of fatal crashes.
In one of the most recent incidents, brothers Mickel Daniels, 21, and Miguel Daniels, 23, of Prospect, East Bank Demerara, were killed after the car they were travelling in slammed head on into a minibus along the Union Public Road, West Coast Demerara.
The accident occurred around 05:30hrs and involved motorcar PAC 9853, driven by 23-year-old Thomas Henry of Moruca, Essequibo River, and a minibus, BWW 4493, operated by a 39-year-old driver of Harlem, West Coast Demerara. Several passengers were injured and remain hospitalised, while the police have since launched an investigation.
Despite the fatalities, Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh had reported a 26 per cent decrease in overall accidents compared to the same period last year, attributing the decline to increased enforcement, public-education campaigns, and the rollout of the Safe Road Intelligent System (SRIS).
MANDATORY PENALTIES, NO DISCRETION
However, the President’s latest intervention signals that enforcement alone is not enough. The administration is now moving to close legislative loopholes, strengthen deterrence, and reinforce a culture of accountability on the nation’s roadways.
A key pillar of the reforms is the expansion of ticketable offences and the introduction of stricter penalties under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act
As of April 1, 2026, full enforcement of new vehicle tint regulations is in effect, with a standard fine of $30,000 for non-compliance. The law mandates that front side windows allow 25 per cent light, while rear windows and the windscreen must allow 20 per cent.
Authorities have also introduced an online tint-waiver system to facilitate exemptions for diplomats and approved security personnel.
Speeding penalties have been significantly increased, with extreme cases now attracting fines of up to $200,000, alongside demerit points. Third-lane violations are also being aggressively targeted, with offenders facing court prosecution and fines reaching $150,000.
Other common offences, including driving an uncertified vehicle and failing to produce a driver’s licence, carry fines of $5,000, while seatbelt violations are now being enforced through camera systems.
Beyond fines, new legislative changes are removing judicial discretion for serious traffic offences, particularly driving under the influence (DUI).
Under the updated framework, a first DUI offence carries a minimum fine of $200,000 or 12 months’ imprisonment, while repeat offenders face at least $300,000 in fines and mandatory jail time. Convictions now also result in an automatic 12-month suspension of a driver’s licence.
Back in 2022, the new offence of motor manslaughter was introduced for deaths caused by reckless or impaired driving, significantly increasing potential custodial sentences.
The expanded demerit point system further tightens compliance, with accumulated violations leading to automatic licence suspension once thresholds are met.
Under SRIS, more than 1,000 smart cameras are now operational across the country, detecting violations such as speeding and seatbelt breaches in real time. Tickets are automatically generated and issued via SMS or email to vehicle owners, effectively removing the need for physical police intervention.
