Mae Thomas maintains innocence but resigns from PPP leadership – Jagdeo

Mae Thomas, the government official sanctioned by the United States after being fingered in corruption allegations, has resigned from the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C).

The PPP/C is the party currently occupying the seat of government and Thomas is part of the party’s Central Committee.

She also served as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour before she was sent on leave in the aftermath of the US sanctions this week. Prior to that post, she was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

“Mae resigned from the Central Committee of the party.

“She indicated that she did not want to bring the party to disrepute… and she says that she maintains her innocence and is available for any investigation,” Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo told a press conference on Thursday.

As the probe into the corruption allegations unfolds, Jagdeo nevertheless described Thomas as a “hard worker” and expressed his sadness that she has resigned from the party’s leadership.

He, however, emphasised that a full probe into the allegations will be done, likely with the support of the US government and information gathered in its investigations.

Two members of the Mohamed’s family and Thomas were sanctioned this week over alleged gold smuggling and corruption.

The US Department of the Treasury, in a statement this week, said between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise omitted more than 10,000 kilogrammes of gold from import and export declarations and avoided paying more than US $50 million in duty taxes to the Government of Guyana.

Mohamed’s Enterprise has also been accused of bribing customs officials to falsify import and export documents, as well as to facilitate illicit gold shipments.