RSS now empowered to combat cross-border crimes in Guyana, defend democracy

The Regional Security System (RSS) Bill 2025 was passed in the National Assembly on Monday evening, with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government touting the benefits of having an increased and more empowered presence of regional security officers in Guyana at a time when Guyana is facing security challenges from neighbouring Venezuela. The RSS is composed of high-ranking military and police officers from across the Caribbean. The agency has made several appearances in Guyana in a supporting role to the Guyana Police Force (GPF). With the passage of the bill, Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall noted that they will be even further empowered. “Guyana will be part of a regional law enforcement agency that will have direct legal municipal powers under our legislation to function here as part of our law enforcement apparatus. We are perhaps the country that needs this the most.”

“We are the only country in CARICOM with the existential threat that we’re facing. We need protection out there for our borders. We need protection for our exclusive economic zone (EEZ), our maritime territory. And part of the express mandate of the RSS is to provide surveillance and to patrol those areas.”
Nandlall noted what a gamechanger it would be to have the RSS patrolling in Guyana’s waters whenever there is an unauthorised entry, such as when a Venezuelan naval vessel entered Guyana’s maritime space earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Nandlall also tackled the comments made by Opposition Members of Parliament such as Amanza Walton. According to him, the Member of Parliament’s (MP) criticisms of the bill are replete with inaccuracies.

“As usual she expressed support and then she started attacking the RSS. I don’t understand why or how the honourable members on that side, with such ease, ascribe ulterior motives to an international body and professionals.”
“I don’t know if they are assessing people by their own standards. Why would the honourable member say that members of the RSS, when they come here, are manipulated to bring conclusions to investigations that cannot withstand scrutiny?”
Among those making their contribution to the bill was Alliance For Change (AFC) MP Khemraj Ramjattan, who was among the opposition to express support for the bill as he acknowledged its necessity.
“We feel in the opposition too that crime and violence in Guyana, has been tremendously increased… and that is one of the reasons why the Government has decided to look for support in relation to the cooperation and collaboration with all varieties of activities identified in the bill and treaty.”
“So, it is important that we in Guyana, see the necessity of implementing into our municipal law that infrastructure that will be of assistance and support with our crime fighting. And we want the collaborative assistance from the RSS,” Ramjattan said. The Regional Security System Bill 2025 includes provisions for RSS personnel to have jurisdiction in Guyana, as per the RSS Treaty. It also allows them to bear arms and ammunition while carrying out their duties, with authorisation by the RSS and in consultation with local authorities.
The RSS, a key security mechanism in the Eastern Caribbean, provides collective responses to security threats and disaster situations, working closely with member states and international partners like the United States (US).
Back in December 2022, Guyana acceded to the RSS. And that same month, Guyana was asked to become a member of the steering group of one of the RSS operating arms, the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network of the Caribbean (ARIN-CARIB).
It was only in April that a three-member investigative team from the RSS assisted local authorities with investigations into the fatal police shootings of two men, 21-year-old Ronaldo Peters and 32-year-old Keon Fogenay, in Linden, Region 10.
The RSS also partnered with the GPF in 2020 to investigate the brutal murders of teenage cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry, who were discovered murdered in Cotton Tree backdam, West Coast Berbice (WCB), on September 6, 2020, a day after they left home to pick coconuts.