Automotive and tint application shops across the city were packed on Wednesday as Guyana’s new vehicle tint regulations officially came into full effect, with the Government making clear it expects full compliance and will not be entertaining any calls seeking special treatment.
Appearing on the New Day morning show on Gomoseley Radio, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond delivered a blunt message to vehicle owners, echoing sentiments previously expressed by Prime Minister Mark Phillips.
“The law is very clear and you should comply. Don’t call me! If it is that you have not complied with the law, don’t call me, just comply and that is the message that we are sending to all our friends and foes alike,” Minister Walrond said.
Under the new regulations, vehicles are permitted a 25% Visible Light Transmission (VLT) tint level on front windows and 20% VLT on rear windows and the rear windscreen. Notably, no front windscreen tint is permitted under any circumstances even for holders of tint waiver permits, who are expected to exercise discretion with darker tint levels on other windows.
The Minister explained that the regulations are directly linked to the Government’s broader Safe Country programme, particularly its expansion of CCTV and facial recognition infrastructure across public spaces.
“We have had a 25% decline in serious crimes and we want that to go down even lower… the criminals understand how the cameras work and so those huge visors on the windscreen, we can’t see the faces and so the facial recognition system would not work,” Walrond said, adding that compliance with the tint rules will directly strengthen law enforcement’s ability to detect and apprehend criminals caught on camera.
She noted that Guyana is already ahead of its Caribbean regional peers in serious crime solving and intends to build on that progress.
The regulations will also apply to foreign-registered vehicles entering the country. Walrond was unequivocal on the matter.
“Anybody who comes into our country has to abide by our rules and our laws. I don’t see us being able to turn up in another country and saying we are not subject to the laws of that particular country. So those vehicles, if a foreigner wants to bring a vehicle here, they will have to make sure that they are compliant,” she said.
For those who believe they qualify for a tint waiver, the Minister confirmed that the online portal remains open for applications, with applicants required to clearly state the reasons they believe an exemption should be granted.
