Azruddin Mohamed promises to fight corruption, refuse presidential salary, pay rise for Guyanese

Last Updated on Thursday, 24 July 2025, 19:31 by Writer

Guyanese billionaire businessman and leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), Azruddin Mohamed on Wednesday night promised to clamp down on corruption and increase salaries and other payouts to Guyanese should he win the September 1, 2025 general and regional elections.

“I will ensure that my government, my administration ends corruption. We will put a stop to all, to every single thing wrong that this administration is doing,” said Mr Mohamed who was last year sanctioned by the United States for allegedly cheating Guyana of more than US$50 million in taxes on more than 10,000 kilogrammes of gold exports. He is also facing two customs-related charges for alleged tax evasion and making a false declaration, both for the importation of his Lamborghini luxury car.

In his 25-minute long address, he did not react to US Ambassador Nicole Theriot’s comments that the American government was concerned about the grave implications for political, investment and business relations with Guyana should he be elected to government or the opposition. He also did not remark about Demerara Bank Limited’s decision to close the accounts of several WIN candidates because he has been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

He, however, told hundreds of persons at a public meeting held in Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara that a WIN-led administration would call in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate the alleged “murder” of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge whose body was found in a hotel pool at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo earlier this year.

Mr Mohamed promised that if he wins the upcoming polls, his administration would cut corruption, amounting to an estimated 25 percent to 30 percent of the almost GY$1.4 trillion National Budget, and invest to improve the well-being of Guyanese. “This same money, we’re going to invest in the people. We’re going to invest this money in the people to ensure that you, you live a better life,” he said. “We’re tired of five years of corruption, five years of promises, five years of lies, five years of victimisation and most importantly Adrianna Younge is from Region Three,” he also said. 

Among the priorities he listed are the construction of a railway from Vreed-en-Hoop to Parika and other areas of Guyana, construction of wind and solar electricity generation plants, and reduce the cost of home ownership. In that regard, he promised that the cost of houselots would be 40 percent less and his administration would provide a foundation grant of GY$500,000 to GY$700,000 to public servants who earn a minimum wage.

Declaring that “I’m a successful businessman who knows “how to take a dollar and turn it over and make a $100″, the WIN founder and presidential candidate also promised not to take his presidential salary but instead donate it to charity.

Still on money-related election promises, Mr Mohamed said his administration would increase the monthly old age pension from GY$41,000 to GY$100,000, and the disability allowance from GY$22,000 to GY$50,000. In addition to a 50 percent increase in public servants’ salaries and an unstated increase in teachers’ salaries, he said value added tax and income tax would be reduced so that Guyanese would get more money to spend at a time when the cost of food has increased by 75 percent. Persons eligible for disability grants and community service officers would receive their payments.

The opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) also has been promising increased wages, salaries and old age pension; a tertiary education support grant, cash transfers by law, rent-to-own housing, housing allowance for lowly paid workers, and raise the income tax threshold to GY$400,000. APNU is also promises to subsidise electricity bills to GY$1,000 if the monthly charge is GY$11,000 and GY$1,000 if the monthly water bill is GY$6,000.

Plans are also being made to increase food production across Guyana to reduce cost of living.

The People’s Progressive Party Civic’s General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo and presidential candidate Irfaan Ali have been warning supporters about the personal and national implications of voting for or being associated with Azruddin Mohamed and his father Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohamed. Ruling party member Mae Thomas was also sanctioned at the same time for her alleged role in the issuance of gun permits and the award of contracts during her tenure as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs.