LINDEN, GUYANA — Presidential Candidate and philanthropist Azruddin Mohamed has issued a heartfelt statement in the wake of the killing of Jenel Pollydore, a 26-year-old mother of three and schoolteacher, who was gunned down at a wedding reception in Linden on Saturday night.
Her suspected killer, ex-boyfriend Shaka Phillips, reportedly fled the scene after the attack and was later captured by police. Sources confirm that Pollydore had obtained a restraining order against him prior to her death, an act of self-protection that tragically failed to prevent the violence she feared.
Mohamed, who leads the WIN Party and has been outspoken on social issues during the election campaign, reflected on his personal interaction with Pollydore, whom he met at a Christmas event in Watooka two years ago.
“She was kind, warm, and full of joy, the kind of person who lit up a room with her presence. You could see how deeply she loved her students and her community,” Mohamed said, adding that her senseless death left him “heartbroken.”
In his statement, Mohamed did more than mourn.
He used the platform to call attention to the persistent crisis of domestic violence in Guyana, a problem that has plagued the country for years, despite a string of public awareness campaigns and policy promises by successive administrations.
He acknowledged that Pollydore had taken steps to escape abuse, yet was still failed by the very system meant to protect her.
“She even obtained a restraining order. Yet, her efforts to protect herself and her children were tragically undermined, highlighting critical gaps in the system,” Mohamed said.
Guyana has long struggled with high rates of domestic violence, particularly against women. In 2020, a UN Women report identified Guyana as having one of the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the Caribbean.
That same year, the Ministry of Human Services launched a 914 domestic violence hotline, followed by the “Spotlight Initiative,” a joint EU-UN project aimed at curbing gender-based violence. However, cases continue to rise, and enforcement of protective orders remains inconsistent.
Pollydore’s murder has reignited calls for urgent reform.Mohamed echoed those calls and pushed for legislative and institutional changes that would prioritize the safety of victims and ensure protective orders carry real, enforceable weight.> “Protective orders must be more than just ‘pieces of paper,’” he emphasized.
“We must expand supports for victims, implement meaningful education in schools, and build a judicial system that prioritizes safety and dignity.”
Mohamed’s WIN party has promised to tackle domestic abuse as part of its broader platform, pledging funding for shelters, mental health services, education programs, and victim protection mechanisms.
He closed his message by invoking not only Jenel’s name, but also that of Kenesha, Shameeza, and other women who have lost their lives to domestic violence in Guyana, names that have become part of a grim pattern.
“We owe it to Jenel… to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. We must end the scourge of domestic violence that permeates our nation.”
