ANUG majority decision to partner with Mohamed, cedes to WIN logo

Last Updated on Tuesday, 1 July 2025, 17:54 by Writer

In the wake of the resignations of two founding members of A New and United Guyana (ANUG), party leader Dr Mark France said the decision to team up with Azruddin Mohamed’s We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) was made democratically.

“This decision was discussed by all, considerations came from all and it was a majority of the Executive that finally decided on the policy directive,” Mr France told Demerara Waves Online News. Of ANUG’s 15 member executive, eight persons make up the quorum for decision-making.

While Attorney-at-Law Timothy Jonas declined to give his reason for leaving the party, Attorney-at-Law Ralph Ramkarran said he resigned because of ANUG’s decision to join forces with WIN. Dr France confirmed that ANUG had solicited Mr Ramkarran’s advice on being associated with WIN but ultimately made its own decision. “Even though his advice was sought and respected, it was the decision of the current executive by a majority of persons to take this direction.

Dr France said ANUG regretted the decision by the former executives but respected their right to resign in keeping with his party’s constitution and “in the name of democracy.” He disagreed that his party was on the verge of collapse but they saw the resignations as an opportunity to band together and recommit to working even harder with ANUG’s existing membership and prospective members and supporters.

The ANUG leader also defended his party’s decision to agree to have WIN play the leading role in the September 1 general and regional elections with its symbol being used instead of ANUG’s on the ballots. Noting that politics is based on reality and momentum, he justified the decision on the grounds that WIN had invested lots of resources in party paraphernalia and branding and was decisive in keeping its brand relevant and displayed all over Guyana both physically and via social media. “ANUG after long and tough negotiations agreed therefore to work under the WIN banner with the caveat that ANUG retains the right to have our symbol/colour/logo present if needed to show that we are still committed to our members while being a part of TEAM WIN,” he added.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) last Friday refused WIN’s symbol, the jaguar, on the basis that it would be unconstitutional to do so because that animal is part of Guyana’s Coat of Arms. While Mr Mohamed said the symbol is a leopard he had told a public meeting that WIN’s symbol is a jaguar which has also featured in other campaign material.

Dr France said based on his party’s understanding from the advice of local and foreign legal experts, the sanctions faced by WIN members have to do with transactions of a financial nature with U.S. companies or those that represent their interests.

He reiterated that ANUG would not be taking any money from WIN. “We have been clear that we will not be having financial dealings with Team WIN and as such are confident that we will not be affected by the threat of sanctions and more-so, the fearmongering that is being spread by agents of the incumbent party mostly,” he added.

WIN leader, Azruddin Mohamed and his father Nazar “Shell” Mohamed were last year June sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for allegedly evading more than US$50 million in taxes to the Guyana government on the export of more than 10,000 kilogrammes of gold between 2019 and 2023.

While Attorney General Anil Nandlall had said the U.S. had provided information about the Mohameds, they have not been charged with any related offence. However, the Guyana Revenue Authority has charged the younger Mohamed in connection with tax evasion and a false customs declaration on his Lamborghini luxury car.