Georgetown, Guyana – August 21, 2025 – PPP/C General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has taken aim at the Carter Center’s preliminary election report, accusing the respected observer mission of overlooking what he called blatant vote-buying and showing double standards in its criticisms.
Jagdeo, speaking at a press conference today, said while his party welcomed aspects of the report, including confirmation that the voters list is not bloated and that parties are campaigning freely, there are “serious flaws” that cannot be ignored.
One of his biggest concerns is the Carter Center’s comments on local banks and US sanctions. He questioned why the report appeared to tell banks how to operate after 40 WIN candidates and associates had their accounts shut.
“Even OFAC has not done that…I find that very strange,” Jagdeo remarked, referring to the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.But the PPP/C leader reserved his sharpest criticism for the omission of a viral video showing WIN presidential candidate Azruddin Mohamed handing money to a citizen, an incident that forced the Guyana Elections Commission to publicly warn that vote-buying is illegal.
“They missed the biggest one with Azruddin Mohamed handing out money…how could they miss that big one?” Jagdeo asked, noting the fallout even led APNU to call for a ban on cellphones in polling places. Jagdeo also flagged an incident involving WIN supporter Bradley “Doggie” Sampson at the Square of the Revolution, which he said deserved mention in the report.
The PPP/C General Secretary further hit back at the report’s claims that the government is misusing State resources, insisting that President Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Mark Phillips are legally entitled to official vehicles as sitting officeholders.
He accused the Carter Center of ignoring far more serious abuses in 2020, when the APNU+AFC government allegedly spent billions after a no-confidence vote and clung to State resources months after losing the election.
“These developments are strange,” he said, “but no big deal.” Jagdeo ended on a confident note, stressing that the PPP/C will campaign on its record and promises. “We make no apology for that. We campaign on keeping our promises,” he said.
