US, UK launch anti-corruption workshop for prosecutors, investigators

The US Embassy in Georgetown, in partnership with the British High Commission, opened a three-day anti-corruption workshop on Monday under the jointly funded US-UK Criminal Justice Reform Project.

The programme brings together 25 investigators and prosecutors from Guyana’s leading investigative agencies and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to enhance skills in investigating, prosecuting, and preventing corruption.

Participants will focus on financial investigations, case-building, and international best practices for managing complex corruption cases. The workshop is the first Guyana-based initiative under the multi-year project, which also supports criminal justice partners in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.

The initiative aims to modernise laws and practices, expand technical expertise, and strengthen interagency collaboration.
US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission John Crippen highlighted the threat corruption poses to governance and urged participants to apply the skills and relationships developed during the workshop.

Liam McShane, Chargé d’Affaires at the British High Commission, said the agencies’ participation reflects a strong commitment to improving Guyana’s criminal justice system and maintaining public trust in its institutions.
Guyana Police Force Commissioner Clifton Hicken encouraged participants to uphold accountability, integrity, and the lessons of the workshop in their work.

Both the US and U.K. stressed that corruption fuels transnational crime, hinders development, and undermines public trust. “We look forward to strengthening cooperation with Guyana to improve accountability, criminal deterrence, and shared security,” a US Embassy statement said.

The US funding comes through the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, which supports Guyana and 12 other Caribbean countries in combating transnational criminal organisations, curbing illicit narcotics, and enhancing regional security.