GEORGETOWN – The stunning political rise of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Party could be facing an equally spectacular collapse. The Chairman of allied party A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Dr. Mark France, has publicly cast serious doubt on WIN’s very survival, claiming the party is built almost entirely on the personal wealth and image of its founder, Azruddin Mohamed, who is now fighting a high-stakes US criminal indictment.
Appearing on the ‘Freddie Kissoon Show’ on Wednesday, Dr. France delivered a devastating verdict on the newcomer’s stability: “Now, personally, I don’t have great hope for WIN functioning without Mr. Mohamed; I don’t see it happening. That is my honest opinion.” This suggests the party’s unexpected political momentum, which saw it secure 16 seats and dramatically dethrone the APNU as the main Opposition, is fatally dependent on a leader facing possible extradition.
The Gold and Fraud Conspiracy
The crisis stems from a US federal grand jury indictment against Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, on multiple charges including wire fraud, gold smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy. Court documents reveal the scheme, which allegedly ran for a seven-year period beginning in 2017, involved a sophisticated system of deceit to evade Guyanese taxes and illegally move gold from Georgetown to Miami and Dubai.
The charges are severe, carrying a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in a U.S. prison.
Parliamentary Panic: The Inexperienced 16
Despite their 16-seat victory, Dr. France warned that WIN is dramatically unprepared for the demanding world of Parliament. He stressed that the entire bloc has to play “catch up” because of a profound lack of experience among the newcomers: “Because, of the 16 persons that are going to parliament, only three have parliamentary experience; three persons know the basic etiquette of parliament, much less what is it to submit a motion, what is it to be on a committee…”
Allegations of Political Betrayal
The integrity of WIN’s leadership is further compromised by claims of betrayal against its smaller partner, ANUG. Dr. France spoke about WIN allegedly reneging on a pre-election agreement.
This supports claims by former ANUG executive Althia King, who alleged the pact promised ANUG two parliamentary seats if WIN secured 16, a term that was allegedly ignored once the votes were counted.
As the Opposition bloc scrambles to organize, the public is left to question whether the sensational rise of WIN will end not with a bang, but with a whimper, paralyzed by the loss of its central financial anchor.
