Azruddin Mohamed, leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, has officially appealed to CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett for intervention in what he describes as a “stalled and troubling” process regarding the election of a Leader of the Opposition in Guyana.
In a letter sent on Tuesday, which was later shared on WIN’s Facebook page, Mohamed urged CARICOM to provide “direct intercession” at this critical juncture for the country’s democratic stability. He expressed hope for a swift and meaningful response from Dr. Barnett, emphasizing that, as host to the CARICOM Secretariat for nearly five decades, Guyana deserves defense of the democratic principles championed by the regional body.
“It is my sincere hope that you, too, will wish to contribute meaningfully to safeguarding constitutional governance in a member state that has hosted the CARICOM Secretariat,” Mohamed wrote. He referenced observations made by the CARICOM Election Observation Mission, highlighting the necessity for a level playing field and the expectation that CARICOM would act to uphold the principles it advocates.
Addressing recent political developments, specifically following the September 1 elections, Mohamed highlighted President Irfaan Ali’s announcement about Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir being out of the country. He asserted that Deputy Speaker Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo has the constitutional authority to preside in the Speaker’s absence, yet the government has disregarded this, causing delays in the required meeting to elect the Opposition Leader.
“This process is being held in abeyance by the Speaker, which has buried the people’s business of transparency and accountability,” Mohamed stated.
Moreover, he criticized CARICOM’s lack of response to earlier appeals, noting that letters sent between August 20 and September 11 regarding the closure of over 76 bank accounts belonging to WIN candidates and members went unanswered. “It is troubling that, despite repeated appeals to the Secretary-General’s office, no action has been taken to address these serious political persecutions and injustices,” he added.
The WIN party’s requests to CARICOM included engaging the Bank of Guyana and commercial banks to publicly condemn the politically motivated account closures and to demand the reinstatement of all affected accounts. Mohamed asserted that the closures violate basic human and political rights.
Elaborating on the political persecution faced by himself, his family, and WIN supporters, Mohamed detailed a range of alleged abuses, including revocation of firearm licenses, property raids, attempts to restrict travel, harassment during regional travel, and disruptions of community meetings. He stated that supporters have faced various forms of victimization, including dismissals, forced transfers, and contract cancellations.
In closing, he urged CARICOM to undertake three specific actions:
- Request that Speaker Manzoor Nadir immediately convene a meeting to elect the Leader of the Opposition.
- Assist in strengthening Guyana’s institutional frameworks to ensure that the Opposition’s constitutional rights and responsibilities are respected.
- Support the adoption of a binding CARICOM-brokered Code of Ethical Political Conduct to foster respect, tolerance, and issue-based politics among political parties in Guyana.
