It is one of the biggest insults ever inflicted on the Guyanese people: a man sanctioned by both the FBI and OFAC, Azruddin Mohamed, now pretending to be a political leader. A man whose empire was built not on integrity but on smuggling, manipulation, and dirty money dares to tell Guyanese that his MPs and voters will be “working for the people of Guyana.” Spare us the comedy!
Before Azruddin lectures anyone about service to the people, perhaps he should first return the US$50 million he never paid during his gold-smuggling escapades. That, after all, is money stolen from Guyana’s people – money that could have been used to build schools, hospitals, and roads. Yet here he is, standing shamelessly in the public square, acting like he’s some savior of the nation. Please give us a break!
The most pressing question is this: who exactly voted for him? The answer is clear – no legitimate Guyanese constituency would support someone with his record. Votes, it appears, were purchased with bundles of illegal money. This isn’t democracy; it’s blatant corruption disguised as ballots.
And let’s not overlook the enabler: Aubrey Norton. This betrayal originated from his own stronghold, Region 4. Norton lost credibility, but Azruddin saw an opportunity. Instead of defending Guyana’s democratic values, Norton opened the back door and allowed a sanctioned criminal to slip into Parliament. Norton is just as responsible as the fraudster he helped elevate.
It is outrageous that a man under U.S. sanctions – blacklisted for financial crimes and widely recognized internationally as a symbol of corruption – is laughing at the people of Guyana while sitting in Opposition benches. What does it say about our democracy when a man who should be answering to a judge is instead answering questions in Parliament?
The government must act decisively. If evidence of gold smuggling and tax evasion holds true, then Azruddin Mohamed should not be giving speeches about “working for the people” – he should be behind bars. A criminal cannot be an Opposition Leader. Full stop.
Guyana’s democracy deserves better than this shameful display. Let us call it what it is: not true representation, but the hijacking of our Parliament by a sanctioned con artist who bought his way into politics with dirty money. And to those still defending him, remember this: every time Azruddin smiles, he isn’t laughing with Guyana – he’s laughing at Guyana.