National Intelligence Director Outlines Guyana’s Expanding Security Network
By Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News
Episode 4 of Safeguarding a Nation aired on Tuesday and featured Colonel Sheldon Howell, Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), offering rare insights into the national security architecture that protects Guyana’s people, resources, and borders.
Colonel Howell explained that Guyana’s national security strategy is an integrated framework that brings together all arms of government, including the Joint Services, Guyana Forestry Commission, and Geology and Mines Commission, to guard the nation’s patrimony — from its forests and gold to its maritime and borderlands.
“We use drones, satellite imagery, and community intelligence to shut down illegal logging and mining operations,” Howell said.
Over the past year, joint operations have dismantled illegal operations in Regions 7, 8, and 9. Authorities also intercepted several gold smuggling rings and unregulated dredging activities, particularly near border zones.
On the seas, the Guyana Coast Guard, Police Marine Wing, Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), and CANU have expanded maritime patrols in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone, targeting illegal fishing, arms smuggling, and drug trafficking, particularly around offshore oil operations.
“We’ve increased maritime patrols and domain awareness,” Howell added, noting the importance of defending the country’s sovereign marine space.
Finally, he noted that NISA coordinates intelligence gathering across agencies, ensuring swift, unified responses to emerging threats.
