HGP Nightly News – A Partnership for National Unity is pushing back hard against what it calls “political distortion” of its chairman’s recent remarks, insisting that Aubrey Norton never accused Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed of being a member of the infamous Phantom Squad.In a statement titled “Setting the Record Straight,” APNU quoted Norton directly: “why support someone who supported the Phantom Squad.”
“At no point did Mr. Norton say that Azruddin Mohamed was the head of the Phantom Squad,” the party clarified. “The attempt now being made to twist those words into something else is nothing more than political distortion.” The party also noted a crucial detail that has been largely absent from the ensuing controversy: Mohamed would have been approximately 15 years old during the years when the Phantom Squad was active.
The discussion, APNU argues, was never about the opposition leader’s personal actions during that period. “The issue being raised was never about the personal actions of Mr. Azruddin Mohamed during that period,” the statement read. “The discussion about support relates to the broader political and financial backing associated with the Mohamed family during the time when the People’s Progressive Party was in government.”
APNU pointed to what it described as a striking inconsistency among its critics. “What is particularly striking is that some of the very voices now attempting to dismiss or ridicule this discussion are the same voices who, in previous years, openly spoke about the role of the Mohamed family in financially supporting the political machinery of that era.”
The party framed the reaction to Norton’s comments as proof of why the discussion is necessary in the first place. “Mr. Norton’s remarks were grounded in a broader point about political awareness and the need to educate young people about the realities of Guyana’s political history. The reaction to his statement unfortunately demonstrates exactly why that education is necessary.”
APNU’s position, as laid out in the statement, is uncompromising: Guyana endured a dark period when the Phantom Squad operated, and many citizens are still seeking justice and answers. During such a time, questioning who supported the political structures of that era is not unreasonable.
“Financing and supporting political power during a period of national trauma cannot simply be separated from the environment in which those events unfolded,” the party said. The statement concluded with a call for honest and mature conversations about Guyana’s past, conversations aimed not at reckless accusations but at ensuring the nation remembers its history and remains vigilant.
“Guyanese deserve honest and mature conversations about our past,” APNU said. “These discussions are not about fabrication or reckless accusations. They are about ensuring that the nation remembers its history, understands the forces that shaped it, and remains vigilant so that such chapters are never repeated.”
