Dear Editor,
It is with deep concern that I note the continued secrecy surrounding the recent Statement of Intent (SOI) between the Government of Guyana and the United States. While the details and full implications of this agreement remain unclear to the Guyanese public, a more alarming democratic deficit is apparent: the exclusion of significant parliamentary voices from the process.
The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Party represents the will of over 109,000 Guyanese voters. Its leader, Member of Parliament Azruddin Mohamed, is the presumptive Leader of the Opposition. Yet, seemingly sidelined as a political pariah, by this government, to date, Mr. Manzoor Nadir, the Speaker of the National Assembly has not called a meeting with the opposition MPs to elect the Leader of the Opposition (LOO). MP Azruddin Mohamed with 16 seats is the presumptive Leader of the Opposition. This impasse has denied Mr. Azruddin Mohamed entry in the consultations or briefings regarding this significant international arrangement on Foreign Policy.
This exclusion is fundamentally at odds with the principles of transparent governance and inclusive democracy. An agreement of such potential national importance should not be negotiated behind closed doors, excluding elected officials who hold the mandate of a substantial portion of the electorate. The more than 109,000 votes for the WIN Party are not merely a statistic; they are a clear expression of the people’s desire for representation and accountability. To disregard this bloc is to disregard the voices of almost 40% of the public that casted their votes on September 1, 2025.
This is a crescendo call on the prevailing Government to immediately disclose the full text of the US-Guyana Statement of Intent to the Guyanese public and commit to inclusive, bipartisan briefings on all major foreign policy agreements, ensuring that the legitimate opposition, including the WIN Party is engaged as a matter of course. Additionally, respecting the role of Parliament in scrutinizing international commitments that affect Guyana’s sovereignty, development trajectory, and national interest are of optimal importance.
Democracy is weakened when governments operate in secrecy and when opposition voices are sidelined. Guyana’s political maturity must be demonstrated not just in holding elections, but in ensuring that all elected representatives can fulfill their duty to oversee and contribute to the nation’s governance.