Dear Editor,
The Office of the President has officially declared itself the supreme auditor, the final investigator, and the ultimate judge of its own conduct. By unilaterally “accepting an explanation” regarding the foreign assets of Minister Susan Rodrigues, President Irfaan Ali hasn’t just defended a colleague—he has issued a death warrant for the independence of Guyana’s constitutional watchdogs.
The Integrity Commission was established by Act No. 20 of 1997 to be an autonomous body, specifically stated to be “not subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.” Yet, we are witnessing a surreal parade of executive overreach. When the President pronounces a matter “settled” before the Commission has even issued a subpoena, he is sending a clear message to the Commissioners: “Don’t bother; I’ve already decided.”
The Commission’s silence in the face of this overreach is a betrayal of the taxpayer. We pay for the staff, the building, and the titles, yet when a Minister is linked to a US$500,000+ foreign asset held through an LLC, the “watchdogs” remain curled at the feet of their masters.
• Where is the demand for the financial records of Revelle Investments LLC?
• Where is the verification of the “rental income” claims against the actual mortgage filings?
• Why is the “Inner Circle” immune to the scrutiny applied to low-level public servants?
If the President can act as a one-man clearance house for his Cabinet, the Integrity Commission is no longer a barrier to corruption; it is the camouflage for it. It exists merely to satisfy international donors and provide a thin veneer of legitimacy to a system that is rotting from the inside.
To the Commissioners: If you do not have the spine to assert your jurisdiction over this matter, then do the only honourable thing left: Resign. Every day you remain silent while the Executive does your job, you are not just failing—you are being complicit in the total erosion of Guyanese democracy. The vault is open, the keys are with the President, and the watchdogs are dreaming of their next paycheck. Guyana deserves better than a ghost agency.
To the Commissioners of the Integrity Commission of Guyana: We, the taxpayers who fund your comfortable salaries, your air-conditioned offices, and your official perks, are not asking for a favour. We are demanding that you perform the solitary function for which you were hired: To be a wall, not a doormat. The recent executive interference by President Irfaan Ali—acting as the private investigator and “clearance officer” for Minister Susan Rodrigues regarding her Florida-based LLC, Revelle Investments—is an affront to the rule of law. When the President “accepts an explanation” on behalf of a constitutional body, he is effectively firing you. By staying silent, you are accepting your termination with a smile.
The Demand for Full Disclosure
Private inquiries behind closed doors are where truth goes to be buried. We hereby demand Full Public Disclosure of Minister Rodrigues’ filings with the Commission from 2020 to 2025. Section 13 of the Integrity Commission Act gives you the power to verify; the public’s lack of confidence gives you the duty to prove it. If the Minister claims these assets were declared, show the records. If the Minister claims the funds are sourced from “family business” or “rental income,” verify the paper trail against foreign mortgage filings.
Any further silence or refusal to release these documents under the guise of “confidentiality” will be interpreted as a clear signal of active complicity in a cover-up. You cannot hide behind a “privacy” clause when the integrity of the entire Cabinet is in question. To the Parliamentary Opposition: The time for “letters of concern” and “press releases” has passed. We demand maximum alacrity the moment Parliament reconvenes. The Opposition must move for a Special Select Committee to investigate the systemic failure of the Integrity Commission. The Opposition must demand a No-Confidence Motion against any Commissioner who allows the Executive to bypass their mandate.
If the President can dismiss a multi-million dollar foreign asset scandal with a phone call, then the Integrity Commission Act isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. Commissioners: Do your job, or get out of the way. We are done paying for your silence.