Addressing her statement directly to the Guyanese people, former Minister within the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government and former Member of Parliament Annette Ferguson has raised fresh questions about President Irfaan Ali’s controversial Long Creek ranch, urging citizens to demand answers about the acquisition, expansion and financing of the property.
In a statement posted on social media, Ferguson cited what she described as a duplicate lease for State lands that has been circulating publicly and renewed calls for transparency over the acquisition, expansion and development of the property, which has become one of the most contentious political issues facing the Ali administration.
The controversy first erupted Sunday after We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) and Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed released a widely circulated video showcasing the scale of the Long Creek ranch and questioning how such an extensive agricultural enterprise could have been financed. The disclosure triggered a national debate over transparency, the allocation of State lands and the wealth of public officials. President Ali has since publicly acknowledged ownership of the ranch, but questions surrounding its acquisition, expansion and financing have continued to mount.
Since then, opposition parties, trade union, civil society organisations and governance advocates have called for an independent investigation into the property, arguing that the public is entitled to know how State lands were acquired and developed and whether proper procedures were followed.
Against that backdrop, Ferguson said the lease document identifies Mohamed Ali as the lessee of approximately 9.733 and 10.645 acres of State land on the western side of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway at Long Creek.
“This document attached[above], which has been circulating publicly, appears to be a duplicate lease for State lands issued for agricultural and residential purposes. It identifies Mohamed Ali as the lessee and references approximately 9.733 and 10.645 acres of State land situated on the western side of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway (Long Creek).”
She further disclosed that she had been informed that when the APNU+AFC Coalition assumed office following the May 2015 General and Regional Elections, an inspection of the property reportedly found only two poultry pens.
“I have also been advised that following the May 2015 General and Regional Elections, an inspection of the property reportedly revealed two fowl pens where chickens were being reared.”
Ferguson said those circumstances raise serious questions about the rapid expansion of what has since been described as a modern agricultural complex comprising livestock facilities, poultry operations, aquaculture ponds, hydroponic greenhouses, orchards and other infrastructure.
Among the questions she said require immediate public answers are:
“How did what appears to have been approximately 20 acres become an alleged 150-acre property in less than six years?“
“Was an additional 130 acres of State land allocated in the Long Creek area? If so, when, by whom, and under what authority?“
“If the property was significantly developed within that period, what was the source of the funds used to construct the alleged modern facilities and other improvements?“
Ferguson also pointed out that the lease document bears a 2011 date.
“The lease document shown above bears a 2011 date. Guyanese will recall that the President at that time was Bharrat Jagdeo. Donald Ramotar assumed the presidency following the November 28, 2011 General and Regional Elections.”
The Long Creek ranch has become the focus of growing calls for accountability after President Ali acknowledged ownership but did not publicly explain how the property expanded from its original leasehold, the source of financing for its extensive development or whether additional State lands were allocated. Public estimates have placed the value of the ranch and its infrastructure in the billions of dollars, although no independent valuation has been released.
Ferguson said the questions she has raised are matters of public accountability rather than politics.
“These are legitimate questions that deserve clear, factual, and transparent answers. The Guyanese people have a right to know how State lands are allocated and developed, particularly where matters of public interest arise. Transparency and accountability are fundamental principles of good governance.“
Her latest intervention adds to growing pressure on the government to provide a comprehensive public accounting of the acquisition, expansion and financing of the Long Creek ranch, with demands for an independent investigation continuing to gather momentum.
