…country retains Tier 1 status in TIP report despite fewer victims referred for care

The United States Department of State has lamented the sloth within Guyana’s judicial system, highlighting that major criminal trials, such as for Trafficking in Persons (TIP), take as long as four years to be completed.
This comment was made in the State Department’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, which was released on Thursday. The report assesses Government efforts around the world to combat human trafficking.
Guyana once again secured a Tier One ranking in this latest TIP report. This, according to the State Department, was as a result of the Government’s continued demonstration of serious and sustained efforts to combat human trafficking, including prosecuting alleged traffickers, detaining one trafficker convicted in absentia during the previous reporting period, conducting training for officials on victim identification and trauma-informed approaches, and opening a transition home for victims.
It was noted that in 2025, the Guyana Government reported 16 investigations were initiated: eight for sex trafficking, seven for forced labour, and one for an unspecified form of trafficking. They also prosecuted four suspects – two for sex trafficking and two for forced labour – and convicted one trafficker for sex trafficking, who was sentenced to at least 48 months’ imprisonment. This is compared with investigating 31 cases, prosecuting three suspects, and convicting one trafficker in 2024.
The reported highlighted one case where a suspected trafficker was charged with labour trafficking, but the Government settled the case rather than pursuing a criminal conviction. The defendant was ordered to pay the victim for unpaid wages, as well as their transportation to their home country.
But even as the State Department commended the Government on the updated Combating Trafficking of Persons Act of 2023, criminalised sex trafficking and labour trafficking with stringent penalties such as five years to life imprisonment, it similarly bemoaned the prolonged length of time the local judiciary takes to finish a case.
“The judicial process remained slow, with trafficking and other major criminal trials taking an average of two years and up to four years to complete because of shortages of trained court personnel, postponements at the request of the defence or prosecution, and delays in preparing cases for trial,” the report stated.

Identify victims
Nevertheless, the State Department went on to laud the Guyana Government for the continued conduct of anti-trafficking training for law enforcement officials, including Police, Judges, immigration officers, and other key officials on identifying trafficking indicators, victim-centred and trauma-informed approaches to investigations and prosecutions, victim protection, interviewing techniques, and evidence handling.
Additionally, it was reported that Guyana identified 390 victims in 2025, including 296 women and eight girls who were exploited in sex trafficking, 85 adult males in forced labour, and one boy who was exploited in an unspecified form of trafficking, compared to 416 victims in 2024.
The victims included 15 Guyanese nationals and 375 foreign nationals from Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, India, and Colombia. Of these, 25 victims were referred for care.
According to the State Department, Guyanese officials did not always screen sufficiently for trafficking indicators among certain at-risk populations, including Chinese workers.
“Observers noted the Government did not vet for trafficking risks in its agreements with the Chinese Government for projects through the Belt and Road Initiative… For example, despite reporting it screened Chinese national workers upon their arrival and inspected worksites of Chinese workers, the Government did not report identifying any trafficking victims among this at-risk population… Chinese nationals working on Chinese state-affiliated projects through the Belt and Road Initiative as well as mining sites owned by China-based companies, face conditions indicative of forced labour,” the report noted.
Another at-risk population highlighted was the Cuban workers in Guyana. The State Department noted the bilateral health cooperation agreement between Guyana and the Cuban Government ended earlier this year. In 2025, there were 370 Cuban regime-affiliated workers in Guyana, and 110 of them took up the Guyanese Government offer to stay and work here after the arrangement ended.
However, the State Department says that the Guyana Government did not consistently ensure workers who remained in the country received their wages from the Cuban regime.

In the same vein, the report pointed to the lack of effort to effectively regulate labour recruiters and hold them civilly as well as criminally liable for fraudulent recruitment. It outlined that while the Government had undertaken a review of the legislation for four years, it did not finalise any updates to the laws.
“The Recruitment of Workers Act and the Employment Exchanges Act provided the legislative framework for labour recruitment, but the Government did not have any laws prohibiting employers, recruiters, or labour agents from charging workers recruitment fees, switching contracts without the workers’ consent, or withholding wages as a means of keeping workers in a state of compelled service, despite an influx of in-country recruitment agencies targeting workers for the country’s burgeoning oil sector,” it stated.

Decrease protection efforts
Meanwhile, the State Department also noted that while Guyana has met the minimum standards when it comes to its TIP standards, there was decreased funding for protection and prevention efforts.
In 2025, the Government allocated $116.9 million for victim services directly and to NGO shelters, a decrease compared with $132.6 million earmarked in 2024.
Previously, the Government operated and fully funded four shelters for adults and one shelter for children, and in July 2025, it completed construction of a 30-person transition home. However, NGOs have reported the Government closed some shelters in 2025, possibly resulting in the re-victimisation of some victims.
Similarly, the report highlighted that while the Government increased overall efforts to prevent trafficking, allocations to these efforts were significantly reduced from $169.5 million in 2024 to $83,250,204 last year.
Nevertheless, the State Department says that the Government conducted public awareness activities targeting vulnerable populations in regions with particular risks, including hotel operators, miners, leaders of indigenous communities, policing groups, private security firms, and schools.
Additionally, three anti-trafficking hotlines are operated to assist potential trafficking victims, including two for English speakers and one for Spanish speakers, which recorded 15 reports of alleged human trafficking during the reporting period. While noting that cell phone coverage in many mining areas was poor, thus limiting the efficacy of the hotline among communities vulnerable to trafficking, the introduction of a QR code system in July 2025 made reporting human trafficking easier for the public.
According to the State Department, human trafficking occurs primarily in interior and remote regions, with some cases in urban locations across Guyana. Traffickers exploit victims in forced labour in mining, agriculture, forestry, construction, domestic service, and in shops with migrants, women, and young people from rural and minority communities, as well as children, among the most at risk for human trafficking.

…say oil revenues, investment, prudent policies support growth, economic stability

Guyana’s economy is projected to grow by 22.3 per cent in 2026, supported by expanding oil production and continued growth in non-oil sectors, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called for stronger fiscal planning, improved Public Sector oversight and policies to ensure the country’s oil wealth supports long-term, inclusive development.
The projections are contained in the IMF’s October 8, 2026, report following the conclusion of its Article IV Consultation with Guyana. The report assessed the country’s recent economic performance, medium-term outlook and policy priorities for maintaining macroeconomic and financial stability.
The IMF said Guyana continued to expand at one of the highest rates in the world, with real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growing by 19.3 per cent in 2025, following an average growth of nearly 40 per cent during 2023 and 2024.
The expansion was driven by strong oil production and broad-based activity in the non-oil economy. Oil GDP grew by 21.1 per cent in 2025, while non-oil GDP increased by 14 per cent, supported by construction, agriculture, mining and manufacturing.
Oil production exceeded 900,000 barrels per day during the year, while stronger labour market conditions and private sector credit also supported economic activity. According to the IMF, these trends broadly continued during the first half of 2026.
The Fund projects real GDP growth of 22.3 per cent in 2026, with oil GDP expected to expand by 26.1 per cent and non-oil GDP by 10.2 per cent.
Oil production is expected to continue increasing as new fields come onstream, while non-oil economic activity is projected to remain strong over the medium term. The IMF estimates that non-oil growth will average approximately seven per cent over that period.
The report said the outlook remained favourable, although risks included fluctuations in international oil prices, possible overheating pressures and climate-related shocks. Further oil discoveries, stronger construction activity and higher oil prices were identified as potential sources of additional growth.

Oil savings
The IMF said rising oil revenues had helped strengthen Guyana’s fiscal and external positions while allowing the Government to continue investing in physical and human capital.
The overall fiscal deficit narrowed to 5.5 per cent of GDP in 2025, compared with 7.3 per cent in 2024. The reduction occurred as oil revenues increased, despite continued large-scale public investment.
The non-oil primary deficit as a share of non-oil GDP also declined slightly during 2025.
The Fund noted that the accumulation of oil revenues in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) had helped build fiscal and external buffers. By the end of 2025, the fund had accumulated approximately US$3.3 billion, equivalent to more than 12 per cent of GDP.
Gross international reserves reached approximately US$1.4 billion in 2025, while the current account surplus widened as oil production increased and oil-related service imports declined.
The IMF assessed Guyana’s external position in 2025 as broadly consistent with the level implied by the country’s economic fundamentals and desirable policies.
The report also noted that Guyana maintained one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios in the Western Hemisphere, while investments in infrastructure and human capital continued to support non-oil growth and social outcomes.
However, the IMF projected that the overall fiscal deficit would widen to 6.4 per cent of GDP in 2026, partly reflecting transfers and electricity subsidies, before improving in 2027.
Against this background, the Fund recommended that Guyana continue strengthening its fiscal framework to ensure that oil revenues are managed in a manner that preserves economic stability and supports development over the long term.
It said that if oil prices remained persistently high, a larger share of additional oil revenue should be saved, taking into account the economy’s capacity to absorb increased spending.
The IMF also recommended that public expenditure continue to prioritise productivity-enhancing projects and assistance for vulnerable groups, while improving spending oversight and the performance of key public enterprises.
It called for consideration to be given to improving the targeting of subsidies and gradually replacing broad price-mitigation measures with more targeted support.

Long-term planning
The Fund said a comprehensive medium- and long-term fiscal strategy would help preserve fiscal sustainability and intergenerational equity as Guyana continues to benefit from oil production.
It noted that existing budget frameworks provided a strong foundation for developing clearer fiscal benchmarks to guide the management of oil revenues and public expenditure.
The IMF suggested that the non-oil primary balance could serve as the main operational fiscal target, strengthening gradually over the next decade to a level consistent with a selected long-term objective.
One possible objective identified in the report was preserving the real per capita value of assets held in the Natural Resource Fund.
The Fund said public spending during this transition should remain aligned with Guyana’s development needs and capacity to absorb investment efficiently. It also noted that the high cost of delivering public services in a country with a low population density should be taken into account.

Well capitalised
The report assessed Guyana’s banking system as well capitalised and liquid, with asset quality improving.
Nevertheless, the IMF called for continued vigilance in safeguarding financial stability, particularly in relation to concentration risks.
It recommended developing a comprehensive macroprudential framework to strengthen the identification and management of risks within the financial system and improve policy formulation and implementation.
The Fund also identified rapid growth in the housing market as an area requiring close monitoring and recommended developing a real estate price index to improve the assessment of market trends.
As financial services become increasingly digital, the IMF said cybersecurity standards should also be enhanced.
Accountability
The IMF welcomed ongoing efforts to improve Public Sector transparency, service delivery and governance but identified several areas requiring further attention as public spending expands.
These include resolving outstanding cost-oil audits, improving the timely publication of accounts by public enterprises and Government agencies, and strengthening audit capacity, particularly in the oil and gas sector.
The Fund also stressed the importance of consistent compliance with the public procurement framework.
It recommended continued efforts to strengthen anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing arrangements, alongside improvements to the country’s anti-corruption framework.
Strengthening the Integrity Commission and the asset declaration regime were identified as additional priorities.

Diversification
Apart from the oil sector, the IMF said Guyana’s development strategy should continue to focus on diversification, resilience and sustainability.
The Fund noted that the country was advancing towards a cleaner and more cost-effective energy mix while maintaining its position in market-based forest conservation.
The Gas-to-Energy project is expected to reduce reliance on fuel-based power generation, lower energy costs and support the competitiveness of the economy.
The IMF also identified strengthening human capital, expanding employment opportunities, addressing labour shortages and improving food security as important components of the country’s diversification efforts.
Climate resilience was another priority highlighted in the report, with investments in sea defences, drainage systems and climate-resilient agriculture identified as important to reducing exposure to climate-related risks.

Economic data
The IMF also welcomed efforts to strengthen Guyana’s official statistics, noting that reliable and timely data were important for effective policymaking and assessing the impact of Government policies.
Priorities include updating national accounts and price statistics, further improving external sector statistics, maintaining regular labour force surveys and publishing more complete census results.
The rollout of a new household budget survey was also identified as an important step in strengthening the evidence available to policymakers.

The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the MV Barima tragedy, chaired by Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith, conducted a site visit on Thursday at the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) wharf in Kingston, Georgetown.

All the other members of the Commission, including Captain Hamada Fouda, Nyree Dawn Alfonso, Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Hayden Pritchard, and Dr Andrzej Jasionowski, were also at the site visit.
Speaking at the wharf following the visit, Secretary to the Commission and Attorney-at-Law Javid Shadick said the Commissioners visited the Transport and Harbours Department wharf in Kingston, Georgetown, where they inspected the bond area, passenger facilities, and the MV Militia, which was docked at the port.
The Commissioners also visited the Transport and Harbours Department’s building in Kingston.
Meanwhile, in explaining the importance of the investigation, Shadick noted that the Commissioners each specialise in different areas.
“As you would know, the terms of reference are very broad, and what we are doing is that the Commissioners, each one of them, have their own speciality; they’re all persons who are in the maritime area, so they are the ones who would have wanted to do the inspection. The terms of reference also cater for a lot of recommendations, etc. And that is what they have been doing.”
The CoI into the MV Barima tragedy commenced its work on Wednesday, with the Commissioners meeting with witnesses.
During that meeting, families were informed that the contract to salvage the sunken vessel had been awarded to Guyanese-owned company BK International for $1.3 billion.
The relatives were also told that the process of raising the MV Barima could begin before the end of October, nearly three months after the vessel capsized, killing 73 persons, with another 30 remaining unaccounted for.
In addition, the Commissioners assured the families that the inquiry would be conducted over a six-month period without interference.
They also disclosed that, since their appointment, they had collected documents and statements that must be verified before they could be admitted as evidence.
Government Ministers responsible for the maritime sector could be called to testify before the CoI into the July 18 capsizing and sinking of the MV Barima if their evidence is considered necessary.
Commission Chairman Justice Godfrey Smith made the position clear during the inquiry’s preliminary public hearing on Wednesday, while stressing that Commissioners would first have to assess the evidence before determining who should be called.
Asked whether Ministers would be required to testify, Smith said, “And if it becomes clear that we require the evidence of a Minister, they will be asked to come before the Commission.”
Smith said the Commission would not make assumptions about responsibility before examining the available evidence.
The inquiry is expected to examine the roles of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Transport and Harbours Department, including vessel inspection, certification, maintenance, supervision and regulatory enforcement.
It will also consider whether the country’s maritime safety framework was adequate and whether existing requirements were properly implemented.
The inquiry will examine six broad areas: the vessel’s seaworthiness and safety; passenger and cargo operations; crew qualifications and conduct; search, rescue, and recovery efforts; regulatory and institutional oversight; and human factors and emergency decision-making.
The response following the sinking will also come under scrutiny, including the actions of public authorities, emergency services and maritime agencies.
The Commission will examine available resources, communications received and transmitted, and decisions taken during rescue and recovery operations.
Smith said more than 100 potential witnesses had been referred to during the proceedings, although the Commission has not confirmed a final number.
The MV Barima capsized and sank on July 18, 2026, approximately 9.3 nautical miles off Devonshire Castle on the Essequibo Coast.
The passenger and cargo ferry had departed the Kingston Goods Wharf in Georgetown at about 15:15h on its scheduled journey to Port Kaituma in the North West District.
However, at about 23:01h, the vessel transmitted a distress signal after encountering difficulties off the Essequibo Coast near the mouth of the Pomeroon River.
A total of 179 persons, including 18 crew members, were onboard. The disaster claimed 73 lives, while 76 persons survived, and approximately 30 remain unaccounted for.
Three Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) employees have since been charged with murder over the tragedy. The accused were all members of the MV Barima’s crew on July 18, the day of the fatal incident. They are Captain Kevin Price, called “KP”, 40, of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara (ECD); chief mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts, 42, of Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD); and goods superintendent Delon Granderson, 33, of Fellowship, West Coast Demerara (WCB).

A domestic dispute between a couple has left 34-year-old Ziggy Webster, a gold miner of 111 Miles, Mahdia Airstrip, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), dead, and his reputed wife nursing chop wounds about her body.

The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday at Noitgedacht Backdam, Potaro, Region Eight.
Based on reports received, Webster and his 27-year-old reputed wife, a cook, were involved in an argument at their camp during which he allegedly dealt several chops to her body with a cutlass, causing her to sustain injuries.
In retaliation, the woman armed herself with a kitchen knife and stabbed the now-deceased man in the buttock. The injured couple were taken to the Mahdia District Hospital, where Webster succumbed to his injuries.
His reputed wife remains hospitalised in a stable condition under Police guard as investigations continue.