The Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) has rejected alleged claims by Attorney General Anil Nandlall and other senior People’s Progressive Party (PPP) officials that its president, Rickford Burke, and members of the organisation are financially aligned with Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, describing the claims as an attempt to discredit its advocacy and silence government critics in the United States.
In a statement issued on November 1, CGID said the alleged representations to US authorities were deliberate falsehoods intended to undermine the organisation’s criticism of the government’s handling of Mohamed’s constitutional rights.
Through its Director of Communications, Richard Millington, the organisation maintained that Burke has no financial relationship with Mohamed and has never received money from him, his family or associates.
CGID acknowledged that Burke spoke with Mohamed once, in April 2021, during a telephone call arranged by former parliamentarian James Bond. According to the organisation, Mohamed and his father were also on the call and sought to persuade Burke to stop criticising Mohamed in connection with the murder of Ricardo Fagundes, known as “Paper Shorts.”
“Mr. Burke rejected their viewpoint and refused to do so,” CGID stated.
The organisation further claimed that a sitting PPP parliamentarian twice attempted to pay Burke to stop his criticism of Mohamed—once during the former A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) administration and again under the current PPP government. CGID did not identify the parliamentarian or provide evidence to substantiate the alleged offers.
CGID maintained that its interventions concerning Mohamed are rooted in its stated civil-rights mandate to challenge violations of constitutional rights, regardless of the individual affected. It said attempts to associate the organisation with Mohamed financially or politically would not deter its advocacy.
The statement also made broader allegations of corruption within the PPP government, claiming that officials had received bribes and kickbacks connected to Mohamed and had enabled alleged criminal activities for which he is wanted in the United States. The organisation provided no supporting documentation for these claims.
CGID also called on US authorities to investigate Nandlall over alleged involvement in the 2015 murder of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing and an alleged conspiracy to have Burke killed while he was in Queens, New York. No evidence was presented in the release to substantiate either allegation.
The statement comes amid heightened political tensions following the arrest and remand of Opposition Leader Mohamed and Constable Ryan Greene. CGID described their detention as unlawful and warned that other opposition figures could face similar treatment.
The organisation also invoked the First Amendment protections of the United States, arguing that Guyanese living there must remain free to criticise the government without intimidation or attempts to damage their reputations.
CGID’s claims about alleged communications with US authorities, attempted payments, bribery and criminal conspiracies have not been independently established. The statement did not include documentary evidence of the alleged representations to US officials.
The organisation concluded by calling on the PPP government to ensure the fair and balanced application of national and international laws, insisting that it would continue to challenge what it considers violations of citizens’ rights.
