By: Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News |
President Irfaan Ali has signalled imminent disciplinary action, including dismissals, following the discovery of serious irregularities within Guyana’s driver’s licensing system.
The Head of State said an internal review uncovered alarming discrepancies between the number of driver’s licences issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the records of applicants who completed the required theoretical and practical examinations.
According to President Ali, the findings indicate systemic failures and breaches of established procedures, raising significant concerns about public safety and institutional accountability.
He explained that under the law, applicants must first pass the theoretical examination before being allowed to sit the practical driving test. However, the review found that this fundamental safeguard was repeatedly ignored, with licences issued to individuals who failed the mandatory theory exam.
President Ali said the government has completed a comprehensive examination of licensing records and that decisive action will follow early in the new year.
He noted that recent digitisation of the theory examination process—where tests are written and graded electronically—has helped expose the extent of the problem by reducing human interference and bias in the system.
Earlier this month, the President disclosed that the government plans to publish the names of individuals who obtained practical driving certificates without ever passing the theoretical examination. Those affected will be given six weeks to voluntarily surrender their certificates and restart the licensing process before enforcement measures are applied.
The investigations, he said, were conducted jointly by the Guyana Revenue Authority, the Ministry of Public Service, the Ministry of Government Efficiency and Implementation, and the Ministry of Home Affairs. These probes revealed widespread irregularities across multiple levels of the licensing system.
President Ali stressed that accountability is now a priority, warning that public officials found culpable will face serious consequences, including dismissal. He underscored that restoring integrity to the driver’s licensing process is essential to ensuring road safety and maintaining public trust in state institutions.
