‘Silence is not oversight’ – WIN slams Integrity Commission for refusing to address Susan Rodrigues’ mounting wealth

Jan 23, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – The refusal of the Integrity Commission to simply state whether it is satisfied that the assets declared by Minister of Tourism, Susan Rodrigues matches that of her income is a clear indication of the troubling collapse of institutions established by law to ensure public trust and accountability in those elected to serve.

Underscoring the key role of the Commission in averting corruption and its mandate to hold persons in public life to account, leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Azruddin Mohamed pointed to a collapse of that very institution.

He told this newspaper, “The Integrity Commission was created to serve the people and protect the public interest, but its current posture suggests it is being used to shield politicians rather than hold them accountable.”

The presumptive Opposition Leader was keen to note, “When institutions hide behind silence and procedure while refusing to demonstrate that any real oversight is taking place, the public is left with the impression that the system is designed to protect those in power, not the country.”

Mohamed believes that the Integrity Commission is paying loyalty to President Irfaan Ali by refusing to act on the allegations leveled against a member of his Cabinet. Just last week it was reported that Ali brushed aside calls for an investigation into the wealth accumulated by Rodrigues over the past five years.

The WIN Leader was adamant that the Commission must be aware of all the stories publicized involving Rodrigues and her alleged involvement in corruption. To this end, he said, “At minimum they should investigate, make the public aware that they are doing what they have taken an oath to do, and if indeed Minister Rodrigues is innocent, show us the evidence that her assets match her income.”

Shifting his attention to President Ali, Mohamed said the Head of State appears unconcerned about accountability.

He pointed out that despite his party’s efforts to expose a series of corrupt practices involving senior members of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration there has been no willingness to allow independent investigations to proceed.

“Instead, President Ali has hurriedly defended his corrupt Cabinet, thereby displaying a lack of transparency. When the head of government responds to credible allegations with defense instead of inquiry, it sends a clear message that political loyalty is being placed above integrity and accountability,” Mohamed explained.

On Tuesday, the Integrity Commission responded to an email by this newspaper with half a dozen questions, sent a week earlier.

The Commission informed that it could not answer any of the questions, citing its duty to treat declarations with strict confidence.

It explained, “The commission wishes to advise that the mandate of the integrity commission is circumscribed by the Integrity Commission Act, CAP 26:01 which dictates a strict and continuing obligation of confidentiality in respect of the contents of all declarations received and any assessment undertaken by the commission.”

It pointed to Section 35 (1) of the legislation which states, “Any information received by any member, or by any officer or other employee of the commission, in the course of the performance of the functions of such person under this Act (including information contained in any document received by that person by virtue of the provisions of this Act) shall not be divulged by any such member, or by any such officer or employee, to any Person, except to the extent necessary to exercise or discharge his functions as such member or officer or employee or to comply with the provision of any written law or the order of any court or for the purpose of prosecution for an offence.”

While the Act prevents the disclosure of information by the commission relative to the assets of persons in public life, the body declined to say whether it was conducting an investigation of the minister’s assets, or if a probe would be launched in light of the corruption scandal involving the minister.

The commission informed Kaieteur News, “The Integrity Commission must again refer to Section 35 of the Integrity Commission Act, CAP 26:01 regarding confidentiality, which expressly regulates the confidentiality of matters before the commission and precludes any further comment.”

Among the questions submitted by this newspaper was whether the commission was satisfied that the assets owned by the minister matched her income. Kaieteur News also asked the Integrity Commission if the minister declared ownership of any properties and or companies in the United States.

As the authority charged with key oversight on assets owned by persons in public life to avert corruption, the commission’s response leaves much to be desired. As the only independent body tasked with carrying out such a serious mandate, questions will continue to linger on whether the minister indeed declared ownership of her overseas and other local assets.

The Integrity Act at Section 15(1) highlights the requirement for persons in public life to declare all assets to the commission. It states, “A person in public life is required to disclose in his declaration, under section 13, such details in respect of the income, assets and liabilities of himself and those of his spouse and his children, as by the exercise of reasonable care should be known to him.”

Already, the former President of Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI), Frederick Collins said the Commission could have at least said whether the assets declared by Rodrigues matched her income to lay concerns and suspicions to rest.

“That, it seems to me, is a fair question to ask, and I don’t understand why given the fact that there’s so much controversy over it, the fact that they are going to refuse to answer such a question might suggest that things that are not above board,” the anticorruption activist reasoned.

It was the WIN leader who dropped several bombshell disclosures on prime properties owned by the former housing minister.

She later accepted ownership of a U.S property and an overseas company, two parcels of prime state lands in Guyana and other properties, financed through mortgages.

Rodrigues made it clear that all her assets were declared to the commission.

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• accountability, Azruddin Mohamed, corruption, Integrity Commission, Susan Rodrigues

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