During a session in the National Assembly, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond responded to critiques regarding crime and domestic violence reports made by We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) MP Toshana Famey-Corlette.
Famey-Corlette highlighted budgetary allocations for the Ministry of Home Affairs, noting that while funding has increased from approximately $37 billion in 2025 to $42 billion in 2026, issues of crime, particularly domestic violence, remain alarming. She pointed out that domestic violence-related murders doubled from 13 to 26 in one year, raising concerns about the Ministry’s effectiveness.
“This is not a case of being underfunded,” she argued. “It’s about the direction, priorities, and the judgment of the Home Affairs Minister.”
In her rebuttal, Minister Walrond contested the accuracy of Famey-Corlette’s statistics. “I don’t know where those figures have come from, but, Mr. Speaker, we are actually experiencing a decrease in reports of domestic violence in 2025, alongside an increase in the proportion of convictions related to those cases,” she asserted.
The Minister emphasized the significant investments made by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration in the Guyana Fire Service, Prison Service, and Police Force from 2020 to 2025, and noted that these investments would continue into 2026. She reported a historical decline in overall crime rates, stating, “Crime is down historically by 25.5%; serious crime down by 25.5% by the end of 2025.”
Walrond attributed the decrease in crime to various measures, including intelligence-led policing, enhanced surveillance infrastructure, increased police presence, and community policing partnerships. “There is a serious reduction of crime driven by these efforts,” she said.
While underscoring the importance of security as a pillar of national development, the Minister also pointed to financial crimes as an ongoing challenge, reiterating the need to uphold Anti-Money Laundering laws to support the country’s progress.
