Guyanese businessman Dr. Terrence Campbell has called on the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to return all political contributions made to the party. Campbell, in a social media post, was responding to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo’s attack on businessmen Azruddin Mohamed and Nazar “Shell” Mohamed at his press conference on Thursday.
According to Campbell, who is a member of the National Resource Fund Committee, “If it is an organisation with a good ethical compass, the PPP should refund all contributions received in the last ten years from ‘wannabe gangsters’ and sanctioned persons or businesses.”
The Mohameds are currently facing sanctions by the United States Government, reportedly for involvement in smuggling 10,000 kilograms of gold and evading over US$50 million in taxes.
Jagdeo explained that the sanctions were a direct result of Mohamed’s involvement in alleged tax evasion and his failure to comply with U.S. regulations.
The government stated that the measures were designed to protect the country’s financial system from the risks of U.S. sanctions, which could include the loss of crucial correspondent banking relationships.
Mohamed revealed the government has since withdrawn business from his family, a move he argued is a violation of his constitutional right to work. He indicated that he may take legal action in response to the PPP’s decision, expressing confusion at the hostility his family has faced from the current administration, given their historical support for the party.
Jagdeo has sought to distance the PPP from Nazar Mohamed, who has financed the party over the years. At his press conference Thursday, the vice president said “We are not putting the people of Guyana at risk for anyone. These sanctions exist because of Mohamed’s actions, not because of any personal vendetta.” Many Guyanese find the statement strange, given the numerous allegations of corruption levelled against Jagdeo, the PPP’s history of cozying up to corrupt individuals, including those involved in the narcotics trade, real estate fraud, and those wanted by the U.S. government.
Tacking to his usual abrasive and abusive style, during the press conference, Jagdeo referred to Azruddin Mohamed as a “wannabe gangster” who couldn’t articulate coherent thoughts, accusing him of attempting to create controversy by accusing Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha of corruption. Jagdeo countered that Mustapha had been working tirelessly to assist farmers, while Azruddin had been “evading taxes.”
Responding to this pattern of behaviour Campbell has called the weekly press conferences held by Vice President Jagdeo a “culture of abuse” and accused the vice president of promoting incivility in the nation. “This is where the abusive culture in Guyana gets its steroids,” Campbell said, adding, “For those of you who find this weekly abuse show funny, don’t complain when the school kids are fighting with friends, don’t complain about road rage. Don’t complain about domestic violence. This guy is the chief promoter of the culture of abuse and incivility that engulfs Guyana.”
Nazar Mohamed, in a public statement this week, refuted the accusations of misconduct, claiming the sanctions only affect his ability to do business with U.S. companies and citizens, not in Guyana. He denied the notion that anyone associating with his family would face sanctions, calling it “ludicrous.” Mohamed also emphasised his longstanding loyalty to the PPP, stating, “All my life I have been associated with the PPP.”
Campbell’s statements not only exposed the PPP’s double standards and hypocrisy, as well as Jagdeo’s abrasive behavior, but also underscored mounting concerns about the PPP’s governance and the broader impact of political conduct on national discourse, order, and stability.
