Demerara Bank Closes Accounts Linked to WIN Party, Members Decry Political Victimization
By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News
Georgetown, Guyana – Demerara Bank Limited has announced its intention to terminate banking relationships with several associates of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) political party, citing the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions against the party’s leader, Azruddin Mohamed.
WIN Party members Natasha St. Louis and Dwatt Hetsberger announced during a press conference on Tuesday that they had been served formal letters instructing them to close their accounts and cease doing business with the bank by July 25, 2025.
“The explanation given for closing my account is very vague,” said St. Louis, a former member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR). “I asked to see the policy being used, and they couldn’t provide one.”
She disclosed that she has retained legal counsel and intends to take legal action against the bank, citing her 15-year history as a client.
Meanwhile, Dwatt Hetsberger, who also serves as the WIN Party’s election agent, described the action as political interference.
“This is an attempt to undermine a democratic process,” Hetsberger said, adding that other WIN members across the country had received similar notices or intimidating phone calls.
⚖️ Party Blames Government
WIN campaign manager and general secretary Odessa Primus attributed the move to pressure from the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC), calling it an act of intimidation and “unfair play” ahead of the upcoming general and regional elections.
“Allow the race to be fair. Stop trying to intimidate people,” she said, alleging that some party affiliates were also contacted by individuals offering incentives to step away from their political affiliation.
The controversy follows U.S. sanctions imposed in June 2024 by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) against Azruddin Mohamed, his family, and his companies, including Mohamed’s Enterprise, for allegedly evading US$50 million in taxes linked to gold smuggling and corruption.
The sanctions have triggered international scrutiny, with U.S. Ambassador Nicole Theriot warning that Mohamed’s political involvement could negatively affect U.S.–Guyana relations and deter private sector investment.
