Jagdeo Calls Mohamed’s Salary Pledge ‘Insulting Stunt’ Amid Corruption Allegations
By Alethea Grant | HGP Nightly News
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo didn’t mince words during his weekly press briefing on Thursday, launching a scathing attack on businessman-turned-presidential-candidate Azruddin Mohamed.
Jagdeo ridiculed Mohamed’s recent pledge to refuse the presidential salary if elected, calling it “laughable” and “insulting to the intelligence of the Guyanese people.”
“A man sanctioned for gold smuggling by the U.S. Treasury, accused of money laundering, drug smuggling, even murder, now says he wants to fight corruption?” Jagdeo said. “It irks me that a person like him could say that and get away with it.”
The comments come just a day after Mohamed’s campaign rally in Parfaite Harmonie, where the WIN party leader told supporters he would donate the president’s salary to charity if elected in the September 1 General and Regional Elections.
Jagdeo dismissed the promise as a “hollow public stunt,” alleging that it was an attempt to distract voters from Mohamed’s ongoing U.S. sanctions and his alleged involvement in transnational crime, including gold smuggling and human trafficking.
Old Scandals, New Accusations
While Jagdeo zeroed in on Mohamed’s checkered past, critics were quick to recall Jagdeo’s brush with controversy.
He was previously implicated in a Vice News exposé, which allegedly captured conversations suggesting corrupt business dealings between Chinese investors and intermediaries close to the PPPC.
In the taped interview, when asked about bribes and his relationship with Su Zhirong—a businessman said to be profiting off alleged political connections—Jagdeo denied wrongdoing:
“He’s a tenant at my place… Yes, he’s a friend. But I don’t take bribes,” he told the Vice reporter.
Dueling Narratives: Corruption or Change?
As the campaign trail heats up, both sides are weaponizing corruption and credibility in an increasingly hostile political environment.
Jagdeo insists that Mohamed lacks the integrity to speak on transparency and governance, saying:
“The most corrupt individual in the country talking about corruption—it’s absurd.”
Meanwhile, Mohamed’s campaign team has yet to respond directly. Still, it continues to promote his image as a political outsider and a man of the people, offering a “fresh start” and a break from establishment politics.
Countdown to Elections
With just weeks to go until the September 1 elections, voters are being bombarded with contrasting narratives:
- The PPPC paints Mohamed as a sanctioned figure unfit for leadership
- The WIN party frames Mohamed as a bold alternative to elite politics
The political battleground is clear: corruption, character, and credibility are now front and center in the fight for Guyana’s highest office.
