Statement from the Minister of Agriculture

Read full statement from Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha:

The latest allegations made by Azruddin Mohamed concerning the Black Belly Sheep Project are erroneous and represent nothing more than the latest in a series of politically, legally and personally motivated attacks built on innuendo, distortion and speculation.

Over recent months, there has been a constant stream of accusations, misinformation and social media attacks directed at me, members of my family and others. Many have been so baseless that they did not warrant individual responses.

However, I have chosen to address this latest allegation because it reflects an emerging and troubling pattern in which Mohamed appears to be using social media and public accusations to apply pressure, intimidate others and advance his narrative that he is the victim of political persecution.

Let me state unequivocally that the allegations against me are false, malicious and entirely without merit. They identify no act of wrongdoing on my part because none exists. Instead, they seek to manufacture suspicion through speculation and insinuation to mislead the public. When the facts do not support his narrative, Mohamed resorts to innuendo. When evidence is absent, he seeks to create suspicion where none exists.

The people of Guyana should recognise these attacks for what they are. Mohamed entered politics long after serious investigations and legal proceedings involving him in the United States had already begun.

In my view, his increasingly reckless public allegations form part of a broader effort to reinforce a narrative of political victimisation in the hope of frustrating those proceedings, while simultaneously targeting those whom he believes have declined to support him or have chosen to distance themselves from him.

My son is one such individual. He is a successful businessman, gold miner and qualified medical doctor who has never been involved in politics.

The public also deserves to understand the background to this matter. It is my view that Azruddin Mohamed has harboured a personal grievance against my son for some time. When my son made the decision to no longer keep his company and to move forward with his own life, the attacks began. From that point onward, my son became the target of repeated personal attacks, insinuations and deliberate attempts to tarnish his reputation. Because of his association with Azruddin Mohamed, my son suffered tremendously through sustained public attacks and reputational damage.

My son is an independent adult. He has every right to decide whose company he keeps and whose company he does not. No one should be subjected to a sustained campaign of public attacks simply because they chose to walk away from someone’s company. Personal resentment should never be used as a weapon to target an individual or his family.

I will not be distracted by politically and legally motivated attacks designed to advance Mohamed’s personal agenda. My focus remains on serving the people of Guyana with integrity, diligence and accountability.

The people of Guyana deserve a political culture built on facts, accountability and respect for the truth. Public debate should be informed by evidence, not driven by misinformation, speculation or manufactured controversy. I remain fully committed to serving the people of Guyana with honesty, integrity and unwavering dedication.