Aviation Security expert and entrepreneur Harold Hopkinson has added his voice to calls for Guyana to decriminalise its laws that targets same-sex practicing men. On November 24, 2025, while addressing a European Chamber of Commerce (Guyana) luncheon at the Herdmanston Lodge in Georgetown, the Secure Innovations and Concepts owner linked his call for decriminalisation to fairness and equality for all Guyanese. “The majority of people in Guyana want to see an end to the discriminatory laws that criminalise intimacy between gay men,” Hopkinson told mainly business leaders and diplomats. “Guyana must repeal those laws and send a clear message: that every citizen’s privacy is valued, respected, and all are free to live with dignity,” he declared.
Guest speaker Harold Hopkinson delivering his keynote at the Chamber’s luncheon
“Top Gun” Hopkinson, known in the sport arena as a racer and sharpshooter asked that support and respect for our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Guyanese to be detached from politics. “It’s about fairness, opportunity, and practical sense,” he said. “For Guyana to compete globally, attract investments, and retain our talent, we must continue to develop our human capital. Respecting human rights is not only the right thing to do, it’s also good for business,” Hopkinson pointed out. In Guyana, same-sex intimacy between consenting adult men in private is prohibited under the 1983 Criminal Law (Offences) Act. This colonial-era law criminalises these acts, with titles like ‘buggery’ and ‘gross indecency,’ and carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Harold “Top Gun” Hopkinson ahead of a motorcar race in Guyana
Hopkinson’s call at the event is linked to a very personal story. “I supported my son Quincy when he came out to me in 1998. He was 20 years old and with his father’s acceptance, my son was able to shine and rise,” the proud father of seven shared. “Even though Quincy had to leave Guyana in 2005 to be accepted by the world, he flourished because he knew his father accepted him and that, to him was the first manifestation of true love, and he was able to use that as the tool against a society that did not want to accept him,” Hopkinson lamented.
Quincy DeNieunkerk (left) dining with his father, Harold Hopkinson (right)
Hopkinson, drawing a direct correlation between the existence of the law and discrimination, noted that even though there is no evidence of the law being directly enforced in recent years, there remain reports of it being used by employers and the police to intimidate men perceived to be gay. “Regardless of enforcement, the mere existence of this provision on the statue books is in itself a violation of human rights and encourages further acts of discrimination,” Hopkinson noted. “There have been reports of discrimination and violence being committed against LGBT people in recent years, including murder, assault, harassment, and denial of basic rights and services,” he explained.
A popular entrepreneur, Hopkinson feels that a country and working environment void of discrimination could benefit all. “We all know Guyana is changing: our economy is growing, business is booming, and our country is opening its doors to the world,” he pointed out. “To compete and succeed, we need every capable person contributing to our growth – including our LGBT family. As a parent I know the pain of having a child move abroad because he feels that more opportunities may be available to him in a more welcoming place. Discrimination doesn’t just hurt people, it hurts families and it hurts our country’s economy,” Hopkinson declared.
Pledging his support behind the Guyana Together Campaign, Hopkinson called on Guyanese to unshackle themselves from discrimination. “I know the value of fighting for your place in this somewhat unkind world. I want a Guyana – a One Guyana – where all can be free to feel and be welcome and to build a life without fear of being persecuted for being with who one wants and loves. That’s the Guyana I believe in and the future I know we can achieve,” he shared.
Harold Hopkinson joins a growing list of Guyanese leaders who have supported the Guyana Together Campaign in 2025 calling for the decriminalisation of same-sex intimacy. These include attorneys-at-law Nikhil Ramkarran and Chandrawattie Persaud, CEO of Amaya Milk Company, Omkaar Sharma and several trade union leaders.