Don’t be deceived by alleged tax evaders, donors – Norton warns

Last Updated on Saturday, 30 August 2025, 12:13 by Writer

Presidential candidate for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Aubrey Norton on Thursday warned Guyanese voters in next Monday’s general and regional elections not to be deceived by alleged tax evaders who used their ill-gotten wealth to donate houses to them.

“Don’t worry with people coming telling you they built a house here for somebody and they build a house here when the money that they built the house (with) was really your money. If people pay their taxes, you will develop. If they don’t pay their taxes you’re in trouble so when they defraud this country and then turn around and when they’re under pressure to come to you saying they will deliver to poor people, you know it doesn’t make sense,” he told an election campaign meeting in Mahdia.

He stressed that APNU was not targeting poor people on the basis of past assistance to the underprivileged but was relying on sound policies such as the rent-to-own housing programme. “Greedy business people- the more they get, the more they want,” he added.

He did not name any party or person, but his comments came against the background of Azruddin Mohamed’s We Invest In Nationhood (WIN) political party which continues to attract large numbers of persons at political meetings.

Mr Mohamed and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed were sanctioned by the United States’ Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for allegedly evading more than US$50 million in taxes payable to the Guyana government on more than 10,000 kilogrammes of exported gold. The Mohameds have not been charged with any sanction-related offence in Guyana, but the WIN leader is before the court on two charges of making a false declaration and tax evasion connected with his importation of a Lamborghini luxury car.

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)- dominated APNU leader instead offered inter-regional highways, modern large farming practices to make each region self-sufficient in food, scrapping of duties on 4X4 pick-ups, evening remedial education, award of 25 percent of contracts to well-trained and competent contractors, development of small businesses, electricity and water subsidies.

Referring to tax evasion and corruption that reduces the monies available for human development, Mr Norton remarked that “you can’t win with that. That’s a false win.” “Why would you want somebody, who stole your money, and then come back and tell you we will give you to take you out of poverty?” he asked. Mr Norton said Guyanese could only be taken out of poverty through proper policies and programmes.

In Georgetown, PNCR General Secretary Sherwin Benjamin told a poorly attended public meeting on Station Street and Railway Line, Kitty that Mr Mohamed was once in bed with the incumbent People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC). “Aubrey is superior to Irfaan, he is superior to the lil boy in the blue (WIN’s party colour) because he, himself, has disqualified himself in this race. He said that he used his resources and men to protect the PPP Civic, to protect Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali and now that they’ve fallen out and they’re after him,” he said.

Reacting to Mr Mohamed’s election promise that if he wins Monday’s elections, he would not be taking a presidential salary, Mr Benjamin called on the WIN leader to repay the taxes he had allegedly evaded.

The PPPC has also criticised WIN on similar grounds.

Mr Benjamin said WIN “carbon copied” APNU’s manifesto and the PPP has copied the APNU’s people-centered development strategy.