We Invest In Nationhood

This strikes at the very heart of judicial independence in Guyana. No judge or magistrate should ever have reason to fear that ruling against the Government could result in political attacks or consequences extending beyond the courtroom.

Judges must be free to rule according to the law, without fear or favour. Anything less undermines the independence of our judiciary and the constitutional rights of every Guyanese.

WIN will continue to demand accountability, transparency and the absolute protection of judicial independence.

Nazar Mohamed Raises Fair-Trial Concerns Businessman Nazar Mohamed, father of Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, is questioning whether he and his son can receive a fair and impartial hearing in Guyana, arguing that the reported review …

This strikes at the very heart of judicial independence in Guyana. No judge or magistrate should ever have reason to fear that ruling against the Government could result in political attacks or consequences extending beyond the courtroom.

Judges must be free to rule according to the law, without fear or favour. Anything less undermines the independence of our judiciary and the constitutional rights of every Guyanese.

WIN will continue to demand accountability, transparency and the absolute protection of judicial independence.

Nazar “Shell” Mohamed denies knowing Justice Gino Persaud Billionaire Guyanese businessman, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed who, along with his son Azruddin Mohamed are wanted by the United States (US) to face trial for alleged financial crimes, on Mond…

This strikes at the very heart of judicial independence in Guyana. No judge or magistrate should ever have reason to fear that ruling against the Government could result in political attacks or consequences extending beyond the courtroom.

Judges must be free to rule according to the law, without fear or favour. Anything less undermines the independence of our judiciary and the constitutional rights of every Guyanese.

WIN will continue to demand accountability, transparency and the absolute protection of judicial independence.

📰 Kaieteur News headlines for – Monday Edition | September 21, 2026
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This strikes at the very heart of judicial independence in Guyana. No judge or magistrate should ever have reason to fear that ruling against the Government could result in political attacks or consequences extending beyond the courtroom.

Judges must be free to rule according to the law, without fear or favour. Anything less undermines the independence of our judiciary and the constitutional rights of every Guyanese.

WIN will continue to demand accountability, transparency and the absolute protection of judicial independence.

Mohamed alleges political hand behind review of Justice Persaud’s U.S. visa Kaieteur News – Guyanese businessman Nazar Mohamed issued a public statement on Sunday asserting that the ongoing review of High Court Judge Gino Persaud’s United States visa is the result of direct political influence originating at the highest levels of the Guyanese government. Kaieteur News h...

“Now, I want to get into recent developments involving Justice Gino Persaud which concern me profoundly.

I want there to be absolutely no ambiguity about our relationship with Justice Gino Persaud. My son and I have never met him, neither as a lawyer nor as a Judge. He has never conducted business with us, or had any personal, professional or social relationship with us. Our only connection is that matters involving our family came before him as a judge of the High Court.

Justice Persaud delivered decisions adverse to the State in litigation involving our family, including the vehicle-tax matters concerning the Lamborghini and Ferrari. Following those decisions, President Ali, Vice President Jagdeo and Attorney General Nandlall publicly criticised Justice Persaud. We now learn that his United States visa is reportedly under review.

No judge should have to wonder whether ruling against the Government could affect his career, his ability to travel, his reputation or his personal life.

I want to state clearly that I am satisfied from the information available to me that this did not happen by accident and that the intervention originated at the highest level of government.”

Businessman Nazar Mohamed yesterday listed a series of issues that have deepened his concern about whether he and his son, Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, can receive a fair extradition hearing.

In a lengthy statement, Nazar Mohamed cited reports that the US visa of Justice Gino Persaud was under review. Justice Persaud has not said anything publicly about this matter.

Mohamed sought to link the development to decisions Justice Persaud delivered in cases involving the family, including disputes over tax assessments for imported luxury vehicles.

Read more: https://kiskadeewatch.com/guyana/nazar-mohamed-doubtful-he-and-son-can-have-fair-extradition-hearing/

STATEMENT
WE INVEST IN NATIONHOOD (WIN)

GBTI CLOSES ACCOUNT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION NOMINEE SELECTED BY THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

18 September 2026

Two highly qualified nominees selected by the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Azruddin Mohamed, M.P., to serve on the Local Government Commission, Ms. Leola Narine and Ms. Leslyn Lowe, have been informed by GBTI and another local bank that their accounts are being closed.

This comes less than six months after the High Court ruled against GBTI for its arbitrary closure of the accounts of four WIN candidates.

On 30 March 2026, Justice Nicola Pierre found that GBTI had acted “arbitrarily” and “breached its contractual duty of honesty, good faith and rationality.” Critically, the Court found that the closures were not based on any identified conduct or evidence specific to those customers, but on a generalised assumption arising from their association with WIN. The Court declared the terminations invalid and awarded damages and costs to all WIN applicants.

Now it is happening again.

Ms. Narine and Ms. Lowe are not accused of wrongdoing. They were selected through a formal statutory process for public service.

Under the Local Government Commission Act, three members are appointed by the President acting on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition following consultation with the other parliamentary parties. Following that process, the Leader of the Opposition submitted Ms. Leola Narine and Ms. Leslyn Lowe of WIN and Mr. Nicholas Chesney of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM). The Opposition’s formal advice was transmitted on 7 August 2026.

Their selection to serve on a statutory commission should not result in financial punishment.

In its August 19, 2025 Guyana Pre-Election Statement, the Carter Center sounded the alarm over local banks closing the accounts of WIN candidates, party members and associates, warning that overcompliance with U.S. sanctions threatened to hinder political participation.

By September 3, 2025, the Center reported that the number affected had grown to more than 70 WIN candidates and persons associated with the party, reiterating its concern of negatively affecting rights of political participation and emphasizing the private sector’s role in safeguarding democratic rights and freedoms.

Against that history, the sudden closure of the accounts of two women selected to represent the parliamentary Opposition on the Local Government Commission demands answers.

This undemocratic action warrants immediate scrutiny.

How many WIN candidates, Members of Parliament, officials, executives, nominees and ordinary citizens must lose access to basic banking services because of their association with the parliamentary Opposition?

And where is the equal treatment?

Will Leila Ramson, the mother of Minister Charles Ramson Jr., and the other Government-aligned persons proposed for re-appointment to commissions also have their bank accounts closed?

Or is this treatment being applied only to persons associated with WIN and the parliamentary Opposition?

We call upon the diplomatic community, CARICOM, the United Nations, the Carter Center, the European Union and international democratic and human-rights organisations to take note of this latest development and closely scrutinise whether access to Guyana’s financial system is being restricted on the basis of political association.

GBTI and the other local bank must also explain the specific, individual and objective basis upon which the banking relationships of Ms. Lowe and Ms. Naraine are being terminated, particularly in light of the High Court’s findings concerning its previous treatment of WIN candidates.

Serving your country must not cost you your bank account. Political participation must not result in financial exclusion, and association with the parliamentary Opposition must never become a basis for punishment.

Guyana is a democracy. Opposition participation is not a crime.

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