Opposition leader without security, vehicle

Feb 04, 2026 News

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…accuses govt of denying him constitutional benefits

(Kaieteur News) – Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed has raised alarm that one week after assuming office he has not been provided with official state security or a government vehicle, benefits guaranteed under law, which he says signals continued political discrimination against him.

“It’s a clear case of political persecution and victimisation by the government. They are trying to strip me of everything. I have no right as a citizen of this country,” Mohamed told this newspaper on the sideline of the budget debates at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

He argued that under established protocol and constitutional practice, these benefits should have been made available immediately following his election, or at the very least, formally communicated to him.

Under the Leader of the Opposition (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act 2010.), the Opposition Leader is entitled to a rent-free furnished office accommodation; medical attention including medical treatment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by him for himself and the dependent members of his family; full-time security service at his official place of residence and at the office of the Leader of the Opposition to be provided by the Guyana Police Force; the services of a research assistant, an executive assistant/secretary, a clerical/ office assistant, a chauffeur, a personal security officer, a gardener and two domestic servants; salary, vacation allowance, and parliamentary benefits equivalent to those of a Cabinet Minister.

However, one week after being elected, Mohamed said none of these benefits has been afforded him. Mohamed said that just before his election he had enquired about a vehicle as well as personal security and was told by the clerk, Sherlock Isaacs that the Speaker, Manzoor Nadir had said no then. “About 10 days ago before my election, we talked about the benefits and so on, then I asked about a vehicle since the government has instructed insurance companies and so on to take away all the insurances for my vehicles…He said, no, but now that I have been elected, I am still waiting to see what they will do.”

Mohamed said while he can understand that some of the other benefits would have to wait on the passage of the budget, he believes something as important as security and a vehicle should have been made available to him. ” These are things that should have been provided for immediately on a transition. This is a constitutional office…” Mohamed lamented.

Asked how does he feel about this development and whether he thinks it is deliberate given the problems he faced before being elected, Mohamed said he would reserve his comments. “I will give them the benefit of the doubt, so I will await the approval of the budget before I comment directly on this.”

Meanwhile, Mohamed said that since his personal security was stripped when the government seized all his firearms, he believes that now being the leader of the opposition his security is compromised. “I had all my security weapons, you know, handguns, shotguns, and rifles to protect my assets, properties, even personal, security, and bodyguards, and so, and the government seized all the firearms and so I have no armed security, no armed security.”

The Clerk of National Assembly had told Kaieteur News that provision was made in the budget for the office of the leader of the opposition, but Mohamed said he was not aware if any allocation is in the budget. Late last month this newspaper reported that Isaacs had confirmed that it submitted budgetary proposals for the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, even though no leader was yet in place then.    “Yeah, we submitted a proposal for salaries, upkeep of the office and so on. Yes, we did. To pay rental for a building and so on,” Isaacs had told Kaieteur News in an interview. He explained then that the estimates are generally based on previous allocations, noting, “Well I think what I normally do. We look at the previous years’ allocation and we increase it just by five or ten percent, not much.” Isaacs added that the allocation for the office would only be known after the budget process is completed. “But we wouldn’t know until the budget is passed,” he said. In 2025, the Committee of Supply approved $32.5 million for the Office of the Leader of the Opposition. That allocation, unchanged from the previous year, formed part of the $2.1 billion approved for the Parliament Office.

Nadir had buckled under pressure to convene the meeting of non-governmental MPs to elect a leader of the opposition, but not before he had warned: “If the opposition MPs see it morally right to elect an ‘international fugitive’ as the country’s opposition leader, then the stain on our parliament and our country rests solely with them. This likelihood has been unprecedented in our west minister parliamentary system.” Mohamed, who is sanctioned by the United States and currently in a legal battle in the local courts over an extradition request, was among 16 WIN members sworn in as Members of Parliament on November 3, 2025.  He was then formally elected Leader of the Opposition, securing 17 votes in a process that lasted less than five minutes and chaired by Nadir.

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• Azruddin Mohamed, budget presentation, constitutional benefits, National Assembly, political discrimination

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