The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) are demanding that President Irfaan Ali publicly disclose his income, assets, liabilities, and the financial arrangements linked to controversial farmlands along the Linden–Soesdyke Highway, arguing that recent revelations have reignited serious questions about transparency and accountability.
The president has publicly confirmed that the sprawling agricultural ranch at the centre of mounting public scrutiny is his, ending speculation over its ownership. His admission has now shifted public attention to a broader issue: how an agricultural operation of such magnitude was financed.
The ranch, situated along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, is reported to feature extensive poultry, cattle, sheep and goat operations, aquaculture systems, hydroponic greenhouses, orchards, worker accommodation, recreational facilities and significant supporting infrastructure. A widely circulated video has estimated the total investment in the property at more than $2.2 billion, although those figures have not been independently verified and no official valuation has been disclosed.
In a strongly worded statement, the opposition coalition said the latest disclosures surrounding the lands have revived longstanding concerns that require “clear and transparent answers” from the Head of State.
The coalition’s call comes after renewed public attention to one of the fraud-related charges that had been brought against Dr. Ali before he became President. That charge, which concerned lands along the Linden–Soesdyke Highway, was among 19 criminal charges that were discontinued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in August 2020, shortly after Dr. Ali was sworn in as President following the March 2020 General and Regional Elections.
According to PNCR/APNU, the recent disclosures demonstrate that the issue has not disappeared and instead warrants greater public scrutiny.
“The recent revelations regarding these lands are therefore not new and raise serious questions that demand clear and transparent answers.”
The opposition coalition said President Ali must state unequivocally whether he is the beneficial owner of the farmland in question.
It also argued that reports indicating the lease arrangement amounts to approximately $25 million annually raise further questions about how those payments are financed and whether they are consistent with the President’s declared sources of income.
“The President must state unequivocally whether he is the beneficial owner of the farm lands in question. Further, given reports that the lease arrangement amounts to approximately $25 million annually, the Guyanese people deserve to know how such payments are being financed and whether they are consistent with his declared sources of income.”
The coalition maintained that, as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Dr. Ali has a fiduciary responsibility to the people and is obligated to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability.
It argued that the public is entitled to know how the President acquired his wealth and whether all legally required declarations have been made.
“As President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Dr. Ali has a fiduciary responsibility to the people of this country and is obligated to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability. The public is entitled to know how this wealth was acquired and whether all relevant declarations have been made in accordance with the law.”
Against this renewed scrutiny, PNCR/APNU is calling on the President to make full disclosure of his income, assets, liabilities, and the financial arrangements associated with the lands.
“PNCR/APNU therefore calls on the President to make full disclosure of his income, assets, liabilities, and the financial arrangements associated with these lands. Such transparency would serve to dispel doubts, strengthen public confidence, and demonstrate a commitment to the principles of good governance.”
The coalition concluded that no public official should be exempt from public scrutiny.
“In a democratic society, no public official, regardless of office, is above scrutiny. The President must answer these legitimate questions and provide the accountability that the people of Guyana deserve.”
It added that “PNCR/APNU awaits his full disclosure.“
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the largest party within A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), currently holds 12 of the Opposition’s 29 seats in Guyana’s 65-member National Assembly during the 13th Parliament. The statement marks the latest opposition demand for greater transparency over the President’s financial affairs and land holdings, with the coalition arguing that full public disclosure is necessary to strengthen public confidence and uphold the principles of good governance
