Dear Editor,
The prospect of Azruddin Mohamed ascending to the position of Leader of the Opposition represents a troubling moment for Guyana’s Parliamentary democracy, as adumbrated by many prominent public figures, including the Attorney General and former Chairman and Parliamentarian for the PNCR, Shurwayne Holder.
This justified concern is rooted in established and documented legal realities emanating not from Guyana, but from the United States. Mr Mohamed is currently the subject of extradition proceedings arising from an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the US.
As the Guyanese people should know by now, that indictment alleges his involvement in a multi-year scheme encompassing gold smuggling, money laundering, wire fraud, and tax evasion, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars in revenue to Guyana. These are not merely rumours; they are formal charges supported by documentation transmitted through official channels by the United States Government.
Further compounding the gravity of the situation is the fact that Mr Mohamed has been sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) – a measure reserved for individuals deemed to pose serious risks to financial transparency and international compliance. It is extraordinary that an individual under such crippling sanctions could be seriously contemplated for elevation to one of the highest constitutional offices in the land.
Beyond these formal proceedings, Mr Mohamed’s name has also been publicly linked to allegations of murder, drug smuggling, and the financing of terrorism. The existence of these allegations alone underscores the profound reputational risk that his elevation would pose to Guyana’s Parliament and our country’s international standing.
As former PNCR Chairman Shurwayne Holder correctly observed a few days ago, an Opposition that routinely critiques the Government on corruption, money laundering and criminal infiltration of the state cannot, without rank hypocrisy, choose as its leader someone who has not cleared his name of such serious accusations. Moral authority, once forfeited, cannot be reclaimed through rhetoric.
Editor, the Leader of the Opposition is not a ceremonial title. It is a constitutional office requiring unimpeachable character, credibility with international partners, and the capacity to speak on governance issues without contradiction or embarrassment. To proceed otherwise would not only stain the Opposition but also diminish the dignity of the National Assembly itself.
Guyana deserves an opposition that strengthens democracy, not one that invites ridicule, weakens oversight, and compromises the country’s reputation at home and abroad. It goes without saying, therefore, that elevating Mr Mohamed under these circumstances would do precisely that.
It is hoped that the Opposition members who truly care about Guyana and its international standing will do the right thing on Monday and opt for someone other than Mr Mohamed to hold the post of Leader of the Opposition.