Taxes evaded by US-sanctioned Mohameds can build over 2000 homes with water & electricity

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister (PM) Kwame McCoy has pushed back against United States (US)-sanctioned Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed over his continued misinformation campaign about the Government’s development agenda, arguing that the businessman-turned-politician is attempting to deflect attention from his own legal troubles.

In a video message released on Tuesday, McCoy responded to Mohamed’s allegations of residents at Long Creek on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway being without electricity and potable water for years. McCoy described the claims as “one of the worst forms of mischaracterisation and misdirection” on the work being pursued by the Government on the highway corridor. He highlighted that while a significant portion of the area in question includes informal settlements, where persons are squatting on both private and state lands, the Government has not ignored them.

“Four housing schemes are already being pursued along the highway with the aim of regularising the situation, bringing communities into conformity with proper housing standards and giving people access to better, safer and more formal living conditions. That means order, that means planning, that means ownership documents, that means dignity, and beyond those four schemes, the search for additional lands is continuing so that more families can be moved into organised communities with proper services and security of tenure,” McCoy outlined. “But Mohamed does not tell people that,” he added.

“He does not explain the plan. He does not acknowledge the work. He does not respect the process.”

Instead, McCoy posited, Mohamed “shows up after listening to Government’s plans, visits communities, riles up people and tries to create the false impression that his political noise is what forced action.”

The Minister described these actions as “dishonest”.

Moreover, he highlighted that electricity expansion has already been outlined along the highway corridor, including areas such as Moblissa, Banakari, Long Creek, Yarrowkabra, Samsville, Kuru Kururu and now into Laluni.

“Work has already commenced on the electricity power station at Kuru Kururu, and the same applies to water. Just a few weeks ago, in my interactions with residents of Long Creek, I spoke of the plans for more wells to be developed. So, Mohamed is not exposing neglect. He is seeking to exploit the process already in motion by using a dangerous cocktail of misinformation and disinformation,” McCoy posited.

Do not be fooled

McCoy is urging Guyanese to not be fooled by these actions, cautioning that “the same people who now pretend to care about water and electricity are associated with serious allegations involving tax evasion, gold smuggling and money laundering”. He posited that these allegations speak directly to resources that should have benefited the people of Guyana.

“Those resources could have supported development. Those resources could have strengthened services. Those resources could have helped communities. The $191 billion in tax evaded by the Mohameds when calculated can build over 2000 homes with water and electricity on the highway,” McCoy contended.

The $191 billion he refers to is the tax claim by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) against the businessman and his family. The claim was made in October 2025 following an audit that found the company, Mohamed’s Enterprise, understated its income by over $34 billion for the years 2019-2023. However, those charges were withdrawn following the US request for extradition. The US Government, in early November, requested the extradition of Mohamed and his father, who have been indicted by a grand jury in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on 11 criminal charges ranging from wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering, primarily connected to the export of gold to the US by their company, Mohamed’s Enterprises, between 2017 and June 11, 2024.

“Remake his image”

According to McCoy, Mohamed is simply trying to “remake his image” in the face of these indictments.

“In Mohamed’s futile masquerade across the country, his vengeful agenda unfolds to suggest corruption exists in every quarter of society. His main accomplishment on this trail is to divide communities, skew a barrage of lies and disinformation, all with the aim of distracting from the serious trouble he faces as the United States pursues his extradition. He offers no serious plan, no sensible policy and no rational perspective on Guyana’s development,” he asserted.

But McCoy said Mohamed “can continue with his noises” as a sensible Guyanese under the difference between genuine development and manufactured outrage.

“The work is already being done and is on the way. And no amount of political theatre from Mohamed and his cabal will erase the truth. Development is happening. Do not be misled,” McCoy expressed.