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All local gold exporters under investigation – President Ali
Kaieteur News – In wake of the US sanctions on the Guyanese billionaire Nazar Mohamed, his son Azruddin Mohamed and government official Mae Thomas for alleged gold smuggling and corruption, the government is now requesting information on all local gold exporters to see if they have been making accurate gold declarations.
President Ali’s during his engagement with the press on Thursday
President Mohamed Irfaan Ali during an engagement with the media at State House on Thursday said that while it is awaiting information from the United States on the Mohameds, the government is also seeking additional information on all gold exporters. “I have asked the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to seek further information at all export locations on gold exported by other gold dealers so that we can have information to see if it matches what is declared in our system”, the president said before revealing saying that GRA is managing the process and is very proactive in its approach for the information.
The sanctions imposed on the Mohameds were made by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The OFAC made allegations against the Mohameds for a series of corruption – including gold smuggling. It is alleged that Thomas, the Permanent Secretarey (PS) for the Ministry of Labour, misused her position to offer benefits, like government contracts to the Mohameds. On the sideline of an event at the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown, Ambassador Theriot said the sanctions, are the result of over two and a half years of investigations by US authorities.
Ambassador Theriot highlighted the gravity of the offenses that led to these sanctions. She stated, “We reserve these types of sanctions for gross levels of corruption and human rights abuses.” Theriot went on to explain that, “it’s a very high bar, we do not do this lightly. This is something that we ensure that we have a preponderance of evidence before we’re ready to levy the sanctions and we had that in this case against the three individuals who were sanctioned.”
Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh and Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia have since written to the OFAC requesting additional information on the allegations. President Ali on Thursday said that his government is still awaiting that information but have since revoked their cambio license. The government has even moved to meet with local jewelers and local gold dealers asking to keep record of those who sell them gold.
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