— over 6,000 transactions already processed at Region Nine centre; Bartica, Region Ten next

THE Government is accelerating its push to take essential public services closer to citizens across Guyana, with more than 6,000 transactions already processed through the recently established Government Service Centre in Region Nine, and similar facilities earmarked for Bartica and Region Ten.
Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Zulfikar Ally has said that the expanding network of one-stop centres forms part of the Government’s wider drive to decentralise services, cut bureaucracy, and reduce the time and money Guyanese spend travelling to access basic government services.
Speaking at the launch of the Region Nine facility, Ally said the centre represents much more than another government building in the Rupununi.
Instead, it brings several services together under one roof, allowing residents to conduct routine government business closer to home rather than travelling hundreds of kilometres to Georgetown.
The importance of that shift is already being demonstrated, with Ally revealing that more than 6,000 transactions have been processed at the facility since it began operating.
For residents of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), Guyana’s largest administrative region and one of the most geographically challenging, access to Central Government services has traditionally meant significant travel, time away from work, and additional expenses.
The government is seeking to change that through the establishment of integrated service centres across the country.
Ally said Bartica, the capital of Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), is next in line for its own Government Service Centre, while plans are also advancing for a similar facility in Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
The ultimate objective is to establish accessible service points across all 10 administrative regions, thus ensuring that where a person lives does not determine the quality or accessibility of government services available to them.
GROWING NETWORK
The Region Nine facility forms part of a network of Government Service Centres being established as the administration moves towards greater decentralisation and digitalisation of the public sector.

The first centre was commissioned at the West Central Mall in Leonora, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), in December 2025 by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Minister Ally.
That facility brought several frequently accessed government services into a single location, including passport applications and renewals, birth and death certificates, marriage licences, driver’s licence applications, Guyana Revenue Authority services and enrolment for the electronic identification system.
The initiative was subsequently expanded to Fort Wellington in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) in February 2026.
Another centre was established at Cotton Field on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) in April, further extending access to government services outside Georgetown.
That facility brought together services from agencies including the General Register Office, Passport Office, Environmental Protection Agency, Small Business Bureau and Legal Aid, among others.
The rollout continued into Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), where another integrated facility was commissioned in June, providing residents with access to services including the Guyana Revenue Authority, immigration, civil registration and digital identification registration.
Plans are also moving ahead to extend the model to Region One (Barima-Waini).
During an outreach to Moruca earlier this month, President Ali announced that an existing post office in Santa Rosa would be converted into a government service hub.
The facility is expected to provide residents with access to several services, including civil registration, passport, revenue, postal, banking and digital identification services.
With Region Nine now added to the network, and Bartica and Region Ten next on the agenda, the government is steadily moving towards nationwide coverage.
MODERNISING PUBLIC SERVICES
The physical expansion of the centres is being complemented by a wider programme to modernise the way citizens interact with the Government.
President Ali has tasked Ally’s ministry with advancing reforms aimed at improving efficiency across the public service, including modernising systems, digitising records, and strengthening the capacity of public servants.
A Public Service Management Portal is also part of the reform agenda as the administration moves away from heavily paper-based processes towards faster and more accountable systems.
At the same time, work is progressing on a centralised digital platform through which Guyanese will eventually be able to access a range of government services Online.
The broader objective is to create a system where citizens can access services either digitally or through conveniently located physical centres without having to move between several government offices.
The Government has maintained that technology and decentralisation must work together, particularly given Guyana’s geography and the challenges faced by residents in hinterland and riverine communities.
The reforms are also being accompanied by efforts to strengthen the skills of public servants who will be responsible for delivering services under the new system.
Among those initiatives is a Public Service Upskilling Platform, developed with Online learning provider, Coursera, which provides public servants with access to training programmes aimed at improving their professional and technical capabilities.
For residents of Region Nine, Guyana’s largest and one of its most remote administrative regions, bordering Brazil, the new centre significantly shortens what has traditionally been a long and expensive journey to Georgetown for routine government business.
With Bartica and Region Ten next in line, the Government says the network of Service Centres will continue to expand as it works towards its stated goal of bringing quality public service within reach of every Guyanese, wherever they live.