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Pres. Ali mega farm exposes weak transparency laws
…Ramkarran, Campbell renew calls for sweeping reform of Integrity Commission Act
(Kaieteur News) – The disclosure by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed of a sprawling farm reportedly owned by President Irfaan Ali has revived concerns over transparency in public office, with former Speaker of the National Assembly and Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran and APNU Member of Parliament, Dr. Terrence Campbell asserting that Guyana must strengthen its anti-corruption framework.
Writing in his latest Conversation Tree column titled ‘The Farm,’ Ramkarran argued that while there is nothing inherently wrong with presidents or politicians owning businesses or acquiring wealth, the absence of robust transparency laws leaves public officials vulnerable to persistent allegations and public suspicion.
Ralph Ramkarran, SC
Mohamed recently revealed details of a large, modern agricultural operation in the Linden-Soesdyke area, claiming it is owned by President Ali. The opposition leader questioned the scale of the property’s development and the source of financing for the multimillion-dollar operation.
President Ali has responded by saying he acquired the property before becoming president and that its development has been funded through loans. He has also disputed claims about the farm’s size and value.
Ali’s 150-acre Long Creek Ranch
But Ramkarran said the controversy highlights a much deeper problem.
According to the former PPP executive, Guyana’s integrity commission remains incapable of providing meaningful public accountability because asset declarations filed by public officials remain secret and the commission lacks investigative and prosecutorial powers.
He described the existing system as ineffective, noting that in countries such as Germany, financial declarations by senior public officials are accessible to the public.
Ramkarran reminded readers that he has been calling since 2012 for sweeping reforms, including stronger anti-corruption, anti-bribery, ethics and transparency legislation. He said those calls ultimately contributed to his resignation from the People’s Progressive Party after more than five decades of membership and over 40 years in its leadership.
He said Guyana’s rapid economic expansion, fuelled by unprecedented government spending and oil revenues, has significantly increased opportunities for corruption while transparency safeguards have failed to keep pace.
“As government spending increased, and the economy develops, opportunities for corruption will continue to increase,” Ramkarran contended, adding that allegations of corruption and secrecy will only multiply unless stronger legal safeguards are introduced.
President Irfaan Ali
The senior counsel stressed that his warning extends beyond the current controversy, saying all politicians involved in private business would benefit from stronger transparency laws that protect both public confidence and public officials themselves.
Ramkarran pointed to the United States, where presidents are legally required under the Ethics in Government Act to disclose their financial interests. He referenced recent disclosures by President Donald Trump, noting that public debate over the president’s business earnings is possible precisely because mandatory disclosure laws exist.
He also examined the concept of blind trusts, explaining that several former U.S. presidents placed assets under independent management to minimise conflicts of interest, while others were not required to because of the nature of their holdings.
Drawing another international comparison, Ramkarran cited South Africa’s experience, where corruption scandals surrounding former President Jacob Zuma eventually led to his political downfall despite the existence of specialised anti-corruption agencies.
He warned that even President Cyril Ramaphosa has faced corruption allegations, demonstrating that institutions alone are insufficient unless they are effective and trusted.
For Guyana, Ramkarran warned that without comprehensive legislation to enforce transparency and ethical conduct, recurring controversies over politicians’ assets including the current debate surrounding President Ali’s farm will continue to erupt, further eroding public trust.
Come with clean hands
Meanwhile, for his part, Dr. Campbell said that persons entering politics must come with clean hands. “Effective governance of this country requires leaders who will put country first, leaders who are not focused on wealth accumulation thru illicit acquisition of state assets.”
Dr. Terrence Campbell
On the issue of the integrity commission, Dr. Campbell said the Integrity Commission Act is deficient as the declarations of high public officials remain secret. “Guyana and Guyanese cannot depend on fallouts between friends for allegations of illicit enrichment to be made public. The Integrity Commission law must be tightened to make public certain aspects of the declarations of those holding high public office,” Campbell a businessman declared.
He added: “I have drafted an amendment to the Act. Many will complain about their affairs being placed in the public domain, to them I say go find work in the private sector. Some will say that these high public officials will now place their assets in the names of family and friends. Well, that has its own risks as one PS just discovered. I am calling on all parties to support the Bill. In the interim, the leaders of all parliamentary delegations plus the President and his Cabinet should agree to release summary declarations of their 2025 Integrity Commission filings.”
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Ali cannot Pull a Rabbit out of the Hat.
They are all on his farm- all 20 plus acres- Ali showed us papers for 20 Plus.
Or, was it 150 acres as Azrudin claimed.
It surely looked like 150.