Georgetown, Guyana – September 9, 2025 – Facing persistent allegations of corruption that have haunted his government for years, President Irfaan Ali used his inauguration speech on Sunday to announce the creation of a dedicated Anti-Corruption Unit, vowing to root out graft and hold public officials accountable. The move, delivered just moments after he took the oath of office for a second term at State House, comes amid heightened scrutiny of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration over alleged irregularities ranging from land transactions to billion-dollar contracts.
“Corruption undermines the efficiency, fairness, and credibility of public service. That is why we will strengthen our anti-corruption efforts by establishing a dedicated Anti-Corruption Unit, tasked with excising this cancer from our institutions and holding public officials to the highest standards of integrity,” Ali declared, stressing that his government’s broader transformation agenda would collapse without tackling the issue head-on.
The pledge is a response to widespread criticism of the PPP/C’s handling of public resources. Over the years, accusations have surfaced that senior figures were linked to questionable land deals, bribe-taking, and schemes that allowed politically connected individuals to profit from access to state contracts and investment opportunities. Although many of these allegations have not been tested in court, the perception of entrenched corruption has weakened trust in public institutions and fueled demands for greater transparency.
Ali, seeking to reset that narrative, warned that accountability will not be negotiable. “Every official will be required to account for their personal assets, and anyone who cannot do so will face the full force of the law. We will pursue both the corrupted and the corrupters, leaving no room for impunity,” he said.
The President also addressed complaints about individuals in the private sector allegedly charging hefty fees to secure meetings with government officials, stressing that Guyana does not have a lobbying system. He promised that a mechanism would be created to expose and punish anyone who misrepresents themselves as a lobbyist or peddles access to the corridors of power.
Ali further committed to improving transparency in how information is shared with the public. Successive governments have struggled with implementing the Access to Information Act, and Guyana has been criticised for withholding timely and accurate data from citizens. Seeking to reassure both the public and the press, Ali said, “We recognise and respect the essential watchdog role of the media, and we will ensure greater transparency by instituting mechanisms in every ministry and department that provide the facts in a timely way.” He warned, however, that officials found guilty of spreading false information would also be held to account.
For a country that has been catapulted into global attention as one of the world’s fastest-growing oil economies, the stakes of corruption are particularly high. Billions of U.S. dollars are expected to flow into Guyana over the coming decade, and watchdogs have long cautioned that without robust safeguards, the wealth could deepen inequality rather than improve lives. Ali’s new Anti-Corruption Unit is being pitched as a safeguard against that risk, but whether it will prove more effective than past attempts remains to be seen.
