GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Two high-profile candidates from the newly launched We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Party disclosed Tuesday night that Demerara Bank has allegedly moved to sever all banking relations with them; a development they suggest is politically motivated.
Natasha Singh-Lewis, a former Member of Parliament under the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), and Duarte Hetsberger, a former government technocrat turned businessman, both confirmed receiving formal notices from the bank via email earlier that day.
The notices informed them that the financial institution would be closing their accounts and ceasing all banking services. The announcement was made during a late-night press conference convened by the WIN Party, which was recently founded by businessman Azruddin Mohamed.
Mohamed, who has been sanctioned by the United States for alleged corruption and bribery, has remained defiant in the face of international scrutiny and has aggressively positioned WIN as an alternative to the country’s two main political parties.
Singh-Lewis, who served in the National Assembly from 2020 to 2023 and was known for her advocacy on health and social issues, did not mince words. She described the bank’s move as deeply troubling and said it raises questions about financial discrimination linked to political affiliation.
Hetsberger, who served in several middle-management roles in state agencies before entering the private sector, echoed her concerns but stopped short of committing to legal steps.
Neither candidate disclosed the exact contents of the bank’s correspondence, and Demerara Bank has not yet issued a public statement on the matter.
Questions are also swirling as to whether the move was prompted by the candidates’ affiliation with Mohamed, whose political and financial activities are under increasing scrutiny both locally and internationally.
The development comes just weeks after the WIN Party’s formal launch, which itself sparked headlines due to Mohamed’s central role and the party’s promise to “transform Guyana’s economic future” through private sector-driven leadership.
Singh-Lewis and Hetsberger were among the first prominent figures to align themselves with the movement. With legal proceedings now likely and tensions growing in the lead-up to national elections, the incident has raised fresh concerns about the intersection of politics, banking, and civil liberties in Guyana’s evolving democracy.
