An open question to Azruddin Mohamed: Have you completed your declarations to the Integrity Commission yet? The Leader of the Opposition (LOO) has an obligation under the laws of Guyana to do so. Will the LOO tell the nation when he plans to meet this obligation? Will the Integrity Commission tell the nation if the LOO has fulfilled his obligations for 2025-2026?

Let us be clear: President Irfaan Ali has submitted his declarations to the Integrity Commission, as he is obligated to do under Guyana’s laws. We do not know whether the LOO has done so, although we are reasonably confident that he is intentionally violating the laws of Guyana to make his declarations. He is under indictment in the USA; President Irfaan Ali is not under indictment anywhere. The LOO has been indicted for evasion of taxes, although the indictment has been withdrawn for technical reasons to permit the USA to proceed with its extradition request. President Irfaan Ali has never been indicted for tax evasion. The LOO has been under suspicion for murder; President Ali has never been under suspicion for any kind of murder. President Ali has lived within the confines of the law; the LOO has lived precariously outside the law.

The President of Guyana, Dr Irfaan Ali, we know, has been up-to-date with his Integrity Commission’s declarations for decades now. Azruddin Mohamed has an obligation under the law to declare his assets and his wealth to the Integrity Commission as a public duty. We know he owns valuable and massive amounts of properties, land and gold mines. We just do not know how much. We are simply asking him to tell the Commission, reminding him of his obligation. If he has not submitted his Integrity Commission’s declarations, it is sheer hypocrisy to question the wealth of others.