Mohammed to Make Parliamentary Debut Amid Sanctions and Political Tensions
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News
As Guyana prepares for the 13th sitting of the National Assembly, all eyes are on how the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) and the newly formed We Invest In Nationhood (WIN) will navigate parliamentary discourse.
Businessman Azruddin Mohammed, whom the incumbent has consistently targeted during the election campaign, is set to lead WIN as Opposition Leader after his party secured 16 seats. Alongside Mohammed, key figures expected to emerge include Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Natasha Singh-Lewis, Dawn Hastings-Williams, and Vishnu Panday. Though WIN has remained tight-lipped on its full parliamentary slate, the party has pledged to prioritize the needs of ordinary Guyanese.
Political analyst Ronald Austin Jr. described the situation as unprecedented, noting Mohammed’s placement on the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list. “You now have a party with the largest number of seats other than the government, led by someone under sanctions. That has serious implications for the parliamentary agenda,” Austin explained.
The government has already signaled its reluctance to engage with Mohammed directly. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo recently emphasized PPP’s willingness to collaborate with the APNU—which secured 12 seats—but made no such commitment toward WIN.
Still, international voices are weighing in. U.S. Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot has stated that Washington will find ways to “work around” Mohammed’s sanctions, suggesting they will not prevent him from participating in parliamentary proceedings.
As Guyana’s 13th Parliament convenes, the presence of WIN, APNU, and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) alongside the incumbent PPP/C promises to reshape the dynamics of opposition politics.
