Police instituted 50 cybercrime-related cases in 2025, resulting in 15 convictions, Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken disclosed at the Guyana Police Force’s Cybersecurity Awareness and Resilience Symposium.
According to a police release, Hicken said the cases involved computer-related fraud, the use of computer systems to humiliate and embarrass individuals, the publication or transmission of intimate images, child sexual abuse material, child luring and offences against the State.
The release did not provide a breakdown of the convictions or indicate the status of the remaining cases.
The symposium, held at the Officers’ Mess under the theme “Building a Cyber Resilient Guyana through Awareness, Protection, and Partnership,” brought together law enforcement officials, government agencies, telecommunications providers and other stakeholders.
Hicken said cybercrime posed threats to public safety, economic security and privacy, with offenders able to target people and institutions in Guyana without entering the country.
He identified online financial fraud, identity theft, unauthorised access to computer systems, cyberbullying, extortion and the misuse of private images among the threats requiring greater vigilance. Protecting children and young people from online exploitation was also a priority, he said.
The commissioner called for continued training in digital forensics, artificial intelligence, cybercrime investigations and the handling of electronic evidence to strengthen investigations and prosecutions.
He pointed to cooperation with INTERPOL, the Regional Security System and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as telecommunications providers and financial institutions.
Hicken urged victims to report incidents to the nearest police station or the Cybercrime Unit and preserve messages, screenshots, transaction records and other evidence. He also stressed that victims must be treated with dignity, confidentiality and professionalism.
Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond told participants that Guyana’s preparations must extend beyond preventing cyberattacks to ensuring that institutions could withstand disruptions and restore services quickly.
She identified energy systems, telecommunications networks, financial institutions, health services, government databases and national security systems as critical infrastructure requiring protection.
Walrond called for contingency planning, routine testing and established incident-response procedures, alongside stronger cooperation among government agencies, law enforcement, businesses, schools, civil society and overseas partners.
She said trained investigators, digital-forensics capabilities, modern equipment and effective legislation were needed to strengthen the police response to technology-facilitated crimes.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration) Ravindradat Budhram, who delivered opening remarks, said expanding digital services created opportunities but also exposed individuals, businesses and institutions to fraud, data breaches and other threats.
He emphasised training, the protection of sensitive information and the responsible use of technology, while calling for stronger partnerships to share expertise and address emerging risks
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