Guyanese President Irfaan Ali has publicly expressed his full confidence in Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Susan Rodrigues, affirming his acceptance of her detailed explanation regarding her acquisition of high-value assets. This endorsement comes amid intensified scrutiny from opposition figures questioning how the minister financed a Florida property valued at over US$500,000 on a government salary.
President Ali addressed journalists on Saturday, stating that Minister Rodrigues had sufficiently demonstrated the legitimate sources of her wealth. “The minister has demonstrated. I have no question when the minister has demonstrated. Allegations are always made,” the President remarked, dismissing concerns raised by political opponents.
The controversy emerged when We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party leader Azruddin Mohamed challenged Rodrigues to account for her property purchases, suggesting possible corruption connections. The minister responded by revealing she had secured a mortgage from AD Mortgage, a US financial institution, and that the property was being rented out to service the loan debt.
Rodrigues provided documentation showing an outstanding mortgage principal of US$378,000 as of December 31, 2024, though she did not confirm the exact purchase price cited by Mohamed. While denying ownership of three properties as alleged, the minister acknowledged having shares in a company that owns one of the addresses mentioned by the opposition.
President Ali emphasized that all members of his administration had complied with transparency measures by submitting their asset declarations to the Integrity Commission, contrasting this with what he described as the opposition’s lack of similar accountability.