30% reduction in crime recorded in Region 7

…as $2B security expansion drives record 157% clear-up rate

Crime in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) has declined by 30 per cent between January and April 2026, as a sweeping expansion of Police infrastructure across the hinterland begins to show measurable results in security delivery and law enforcement performance.
This is according to the Home Affairs Ministry, which in a statement on its social media page said that the reduction in serious crime comes alongside a sharp improvement in investigative outcomes, with Regional Division Seven recording a 157.1 per cent clear-up rate for the period under review.
In a release, the Ministry said that the figures reflect both the resolution of current cases and the clearance of older matters previously outstanding within the division.

The improvement in crime statistics follows a broader $2 billion security expansion programme across Region Seven, which includes the construction and rehabilitation of several Police stations, expansion of marine policing capacity, and upgrades to operational infrastructure.
The programme includes the reconstruction of stations at Imbaimadai, Kamarang, and Kurupung alongside the establishment of a new Divisional Headquarters and enhanced marine assets in Bartica.
In relation to the Police officers’ living quarters in Kamarang, valued at $97.2 million, Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Waldron, while visiting the area, emphasised the importance of investing in the welfare of ranks serving in remote locations.
“When officers are properly accommodated, they are better able to serve. And when they serve better, communities grow stronger, safer, and more secure,” she said.
In Bartica, the Government has also strengthened marine policing capabilities through the construction of a new boathouse at a cost of $34 million. This facility includes a watchtower, ramp, and a fixed walkway, all designed to support safer and more efficient deployment of Police vessels along key riverain routes.
“This is development with purpose. This is infrastructure designed not merely to exist but to function,” Walrond stated.
New Ekereku Police Station
On Tuesday, the Government of Guyana commissioned the new Ekereku Police Station, a $62.5 million facility described by officials as part of a deliberate strategy to strengthen state presence in remote communities. The facility is expected to improve response times and strengthen day-to-day policing operations in the Upper Mazaruni corridor.
Delivering the feature address at the commissioning, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond said the investments reflect a broader governance approach aimed at addressing long-standing disparities in development between the coast and hinterland.
She said the infrastructure rollout shows a shift in how development is delivered across the country, particularly in communities that have historically faced limited access to state services.
Minister Walrond contrasted the current approach with previous development models, describing the ongoing expansion as evidence of delivery-focused governance.
“This is the difference between talk and transformation. While others debate, we deliver. While others critique, we build. And the people of this country are seeing and benefiting from that difference every single day.”