Latest update April 7th, 2026 12:30 AM
‘CARICOM Called Out’ – Mohamed demands action on opposition leader crisis
(Kaieteur News) – Leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Azruddin Mohamed, has formally appealed to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett to intervene in what he describes as Guyana’s “stalled and troubling” process to elect a Leader of the Opposition.
In a letter dispatched Tuesday evening to the CARICOM Secretariat and later released on WIN’s Facebook page, Mohamed urged the regional body to offer “direct intercession” at what he says is a critical moment for Guyana’s democratic stability.
Leader of We Invest in Nationhood , Azruddin Mohamed
Mohamed expressed hope that Dr. Barnett would respond swiftly and meaningfully to the concerns raised. He noted that since Guyana has hosted the CARICOM Secretariat for nearly five decades, the organisation should be motivated to defend the democratic principles it promotes. “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 and given you a place to call home…” “Noting that the observations of your own countrywoman and distinguished envoy whom you selected to lead the CARICOM Election Observation Mission, highlighted the need for a level playing field, in light of those findings, it is reasonable to expect that CARICOM would be moved to act in defence of the very principles it champions,” he said.
Addressing recent political developments, Mohamed pointed to the aftermath of the September 1 elections and to President Irfaan Ali’s announcement that Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir is currently out of the country. He argued that Deputy Speaker Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo is constitutionally empowered to preside in the Speaker’s absence, but that the government has ignored this, resulting in the delay of the constitutionally required meeting to elect the Opposition Leader. “This logic is clear, yet ignored by the sitting government. Because this constitutionally mandated process is being held in abeyance by the Speaker of the National Assembly, the people’s business of transparency and accountability has been buried and undermined by the refusal to convene the meeting required for the election of the Leader of the Opposition,” Mohamed said.
General Secretary of CARICOM Dr. Carla Barnett
Mohamed also criticised CARICOM’s failure to respond to earlier appeals, claiming that letters sent between August 20 and September 11 went unanswered. These letters highlighted the closure of more than 76 bank accounts belonging to WIN candidates and members. “It is troubling that, despite repeated appeals to the office of the Secretary-General, and the extensive public coverage of these violations that no doubt reached your attention, CARICOM has taken no action in response to these instances of grave political persecution and injustices,” he said.
WIN’s appeals requested CARICOM’s intervention to engage the Bank of Guyana and commercial banks, to issue a public condemnation of what the party called politically motivated account closures, and to demand that all accounts be reinstated. Mohamed stated that all WIN candidates’ accounts remain closed, which he argued violates their basic human and political rights.
The WIN leader further outlined what he described as political persecution targeting him, his family, party candidates, and supporters. Among the allegations were the revocation of his firearm licences, raids on his property, attempts to restrict his travel, a late-night attempted arrest, harassment during regional travel, disruptions of community meetings, cyberbullying and stalking, drone surveillance, vehicle tracking, and denial of access to public spaces for WIN meetings. He also claimed that supporters faced victimisation, including dismissals, forced transfers, cancelled contracts, and harassment.
Mohamed urged CARICOM to take 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 constitutional rights and responsibilities of the Opposition are respected.
- Support the adoption of a binding CARICOM-brokered Code of Ethical Political Conduct to promote respect, tolerance, and issue-based politics among Guyanese political parties.
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