‘Ignorance is no excuse’ — AG warns after bank refuses to accept digital ID card

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, has warned that businesses and institutions refusing to accept Guyana’s new digital identification card are in violation of the law.

The issue came to light after this publication was told of a troubling encounter at a local bank, where staff refused to accept the newly implemented digital ID card as a valid form of identification.

The complainant said that despite presenting the digital ID card and informing bank employees that the law came into effect on March 31, staff insisted that the card was not being recognised.

“They told me they are not recognising this card right now and can’t say when. Only a national ID card or passport,” the individual recounted.

Even after being advised that the Digital Identity Card Act is now fully in force, the staff reportedly maintained their position and refused to accept the card as a legal or official form of identification.

The transaction was eventually completed using a driver’s licence.

“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” Nandlall said during an interview with News Room on Thursday.

The Digital Identity Card Act, which came into full operation at the end of March 2026 through an order issued by Prime Minister Mark Phillips, establishes the digital ID card as an official and legally sufficient form of identification.

Nandlall pointed to Section 6 of the Act, which makes it clear that the card is valid for conducting business with both public and private sector entities, whether in person or online.

“The law says very clearly that the card is a sufficient and lawful form of identification to conduct any business,” he explained.

According to the Attorney General, any entity that refuses to accept the card is acting in breach of the law. He noted that the legislation provides for consequences of a penal nature where there is non-compliance with its provisions, particularly those that give the card its legal authority.

“The agency or entity that refused to use the card is violating the Act,” he said.

While the Act does not explicitly outline a standalone offence for refusal in simple terms, Nandlall made it clear that failure to comply with its requirements can still attract enforcement action.

He further emphasised that all sectors, including banks, businesses and public agencies, have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with new laws once they are enacted and published.

He explained that publication in the Official Gazette is intended to notify the public of the law’s content and effect, and this is directly tied to the longstanding legal principle that ignorance of the law is no defence.

“The purpose of publication is to give the world notice of the content of the law. That is followed by the principle that ignorance of the law is not a defence,” he said.

Nandlall also warned that if there is continued resistance or refusal to comply with the law, law enforcement authorities may be called upon to intervene.

“If there continues to be non-compliance, then the police force will have to be informed and directed to ensure that the law is complied with,” he said.

He noted that this was the first complaint of its kind brought to his attention, but acknowledged that ongoing public education will be necessary as the country transitions to the new digital identification system.

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