Carib Scope

分类： politics

  • Govt to move ahead with Joy St Omer inquiry

    Govt to move ahead with Joy St Omer inquiry

    After weeks of procedural delay caused by unresolved legal questions, the long-awaited independent commission of inquiry into the death of Joy St Omer is finally poised to move forward, following clearance from the country’s top legal advisor. Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre confirmed the development during a pre-Cabinet press briefing on Monday, revealing that the Attorney General has formally advised the government that the inquiry can proceed once specific pre-defined conditions are put in place.

    The push for a public inquiry originated from a formal petition submitted to the Prime Minister and the full Cabinet by St Omer’s family, who have pressed for full transparency into the circumstances surrounding her death. Initially, Cabinet declined to immediately greenlight the request, citing overlapping active criminal proceedings connected to St Omer’s death. Government officials opted to hold the process to seek formal legal guidance, to eliminate any risk that the commission’s work would prejudice or disrupt ongoing criminal litigation.

    With the critical legal opinion now in hand, the government has laid out its clear roadmap for advancing the inquiry. The Attorney General is currently drafting the formal terms of reference for the commission, a document that will outline the exact scope of the investigation and embed the required conditions to ensure compliance with legal requirements. Once the draft is finalized, Cabinet will present the plan to the Governor General to issue the official order formally establishing the commission of inquiry.

    Prime Minister Pierre pushed back against any suggestions that the delay in approving the inquiry was unnecessary, defending the government’s deliberate, caution-first approach. “The decisions I take have far-reaching effects; before I take any decision, I always seek opinions,” Pierre told reporters.

    Monday’s announcement marks a key milestone for St Omer’s family, who have campaigned for an independent investigation into her death. The full scope of the commission’s investigation will ultimately depend on the details laid out in the upcoming terms of reference, which are expected to be finalized and presented to Cabinet in the coming weeks.

  • “Belize Will Be Vindicated”: Briceño on Guatemala as Belize Marks 45 Years

    “Belize Will Be Vindicated”: Briceño on Guatemala as Belize Marks 45 Years

    As Belize marked its 45th year of sovereign independence on September 21, 2026, the nation’s top political leaders took the ceremonial stage to outline their vision for the country’s future, with the long-running border dispute with neighboring Guatemala taking center stage in Prime Minister John Briceño’s address.

    Briceño used the anniversary occasion to reinforce national unity and reaffirm Belize’s claim to its territorial sovereignty, noting that the decades-long border conflict with Guatemala is moving toward a long-awaited resolution at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Oral arguments in the landmark case are scheduled to open at the ICJ in February 2027, marking the final phase of legal proceedings over the dispute that has stretched across Belize’s entire modern history as an independent state.

    “For far too many generations, our territorial borders have been challenged by our neighbor Guatemala,” Briceño told the assembled crowd of celebrants and officials. “We are optimistic heading into the final stages of this legal process, and we firmly believe that when the ruling is delivered, Belize will be vindicated. Once this chapter closes, we will be able to build deeper, more constructive ties with both the Guatemalan government and the Guatemalan people, who we value as neighbors.”

    Following the conclusion of oral arguments in the Guatemala-Belize dispute, the ICJ has scheduled proceedings for a separate pending border case between Belize and Honduras, which will move forward once the first matter is resolved.

    Beyond the border issue, Briceño used his address to rally national pride among Belizeans, emphasizing that the small Caribbean nation carries an outsized sense of purpose and unity. “Today, more than any moment in our history, it is time for all Belizeans to show the world the strength of our national character,” he said. “We are a small country, but we hold incredible strength. Our population is deeply diverse, but we are bound together by a shared love for this beautiful land that we are proud to call home.”

    While Briceño focused on national unity and the upcoming international legal ruling, Opposition Leader Tracy Panton used the same independence anniversary ceremony to lay out a contrasting policy vision, calling for sweeping national renewal centered on putting ordinary citizens at the heart of governance.

    Panton argued that Belize’s next chapter must prioritize people-centered leadership, restore public trust in governmental integrity, and build an economic framework that rewards hard work, innovation, and private enterprise. She also issued a warning to Briceño’s ruling administration against overstepping its authority, stressing the importance of inclusive governance and respect for political dissent.

    “A truly strong government knows how to listen to its people and respects differing opinions,” Panton said. “It must never confuse a parliamentary majority for unlimited, unchecked power. The core mandate of any elected government is to ease the daily hardships facing working people, restore public confidence in state institutions, and build systems that will remain strong long after any individual administration leaves office.”

  • High-level delegation to 81st UN General Assembly

    High-level delegation to 81st UN General Assembly

    The 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) officially opened its doors in New York on September 8, 2026, and Grenada is being represented at the global gathering by a high-profile delegation headed by Minister of Finance Dennis Cornwall. The assembled delegation draws senior representatives from across Grenada’s foreign affairs and trade apparatus, including Roxie McLeish Hutchinson, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development; Andrea St Bernard, Ambassador and Project Sponsor for the national development-focused Project Polaris; and two additional senior ambassadors from the foreign ministry, Richard Nixon and Hassan Hadeed.

    As the UNGA enters its core general debate segment, Ingrid Jackson, Grenada’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, will deliver the island nation’s official national address. This year’s UNGA-wide theme, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All”, frames the content of Grenada’s statement, which outlines the country’s key priorities for global engagement.

    For small island nations like Grenada, participation in annual UN General Assembly sessions is far more than a routine diplomatic engagement: it offers a critical, high-profile platform to advance national and regional priorities on a global stage. This year’s gathering is no exception, with Grenada reaffirming its longstanding commitment to multilateral cooperation, collective action, and cross-border partnership to tackle the interconnected, increasingly complex challenges that face the global community today.

    In its national statement, Grenada will place particular emphasis on four core priorities: advancing broad-based sustainable development, strengthening national climate resilience, driving inclusive economic transformation, and elevating the shared priorities of all Small Island Developing States (SIDS) — a bloc that disproportionately bears the brunt of global challenges like climate change despite contributing very little to global emissions.

    Throughout the duration of UNGA 81, the Grenadian delegation will maintain a full schedule of bilateral and multilateral meetings with global counterparts. These engagements are designed to strengthen existing strategic partnerships, deepen longstanding diplomatic ties, and advance Grenada’s core national development goals. The gatherings also create a valuable space to build new collaborative ties with international development agencies, partner governments, and other key stakeholders from across the UN membership.

    One central focus of the delegation’s advocacy on the margins of UNGA 81 is advancing Grenada’s key domestic development initiatives, most notably Project Polaris. Delegates will hold targeted discussions with potential partners to mobilize political and financial support for the project, attract new foreign and domestic investment opportunities, and build out collaborative partnerships that align with Grenada’s long-term national development strategy.

    In comments ahead of the gathering, Finance Minister Cornwall emphasized the irreplaceable role the United Nations plays as a global forum for open dialogue, cross-border cooperation, and collective problem-solving. “At a time when the world faces unprecedented challenges, meaningful partnerships and international solidarity are more important than ever,” Cornwall stated. “Grenada remains committed to working collaboratively with the international community to pursue sustainable solutions that benefit our people and contribute to global progress.”

    The delegation’s participation in UNGA 81 ultimately reflects Grenada’s ongoing commitment to constructive engagement on pressing global issues, while simultaneously strengthening diplomatic relationships that advance the nation’s development priorities and deepen regional cooperation across the Caribbean.

  • Abinader proposes stronger Dominican Republic-Peru ties after bilateral meeting with Fujimori

    Abinader proposes stronger Dominican Republic-Peru ties after bilateral meeting with Fujimori

    On the final day of his working trip to New York, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader held a high-stakes bilateral meeting with Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori, centered on deepening long-standing relations between the two Latin American nations and unlocking opportunities for collaborative work across multiple priority sectors.

    The closed-door meeting marked the first formal discussion between Abinader and Fujimori since Fujimori took office as Peru’s head of state, bringing together the two leaders to align on shared priorities for bilateral engagement. During the talks, Abinader emphasized the Dominican Republic’s long-standing commitment to building robust, mutually beneficial ties with Peru, noting that existing cooperation has laid a strong foundation for even greater progress.

    “We have always aimed to build the strongest possible relations with Peru, and to strengthen the bonds that already connect our nations. I am confident we can elevate these ties to entirely new levels,” Abinader told Fujimori during their discussion.

    After the meeting concluded, Abinader spoke with assembled reporters, where he further outlined the context of the bilateral discussion, highlighting the deep, decades-long historic connections between the Dominican Republic and Peru. He added that despite the progress the two nations have already made, there remains significant untapped potential to expand cooperation that delivers benefits to both populations.

    According to an official statement released by the Peruvian government following the meeting, the leaders covered a broad range of pressing shared issues beyond core diplomatic relations. Key topics on the agenda included cross-border security cooperation, advancing the adoption of artificial intelligence for public good, collaborative work to protect shared cultural heritage, strengthening systems to build disaster resilience, advancing shared sustainable development goals, and expanding bilateral economic and trade connections to boost shared economic growth.

    To further facilitate in-person engagement and deepen bilateral ties, the two leaders also exchanged formal invitations to make state visits to each other’s countries, with plans to continue discussions on collaborative priorities in future high-level meetings. The New York talks wrap up Abinader’s working visit to the U.S. city, closing out a schedule of diplomatic engagements focused on expanding the Dominican Republic’s international partnerships.

  • Foreign Minister Bisonó highlights Haiti, trade and investment as Dominican priorities at UN General Assembly

    Foreign Minister Bisonó highlights Haiti, trade and investment as Dominican priorities at UN General Assembly

    As top diplomatic delegates from across the globe gather in New York for the 81st iteration of the United Nations General Assembly, the Dominican Republic has laid out a clear, priority-driven agenda that balances regional security concerns and economic advancement, according to the country’s top foreign affairs official. Foreign Minister Víctor “Ito” Bisonó laid out the Dominican delegation’s core focuses for the high-profile multilateral gathering, ranging from the ongoing crisis in neighboring Haiti to expanding bilateral ties, boosting cross-border trade, drawing in foreign direct investment, and expanding global market access for Dominican exports.
    Among all the topics on the agenda, Bisonó emphasized that securing the renewal of an international security mission in Haiti stands as one of the Dominican Republic’s most critical asks. He explained that sustained stability in Haiti is not an isolated regional concern, but directly tied to the Dominican Republic’s own domestic public security and long-term employment outlook, given the deep social and economic interconnectedness of the two neighboring nations that share the island of Hispaniola.
    On the bilateral side of Bisonó’s schedule during the General Assembly, the Dominican foreign minister is set to hold a high-stakes meeting with his Russian counterpart to discuss developments in Haiti and a range of other mutual issues. Bisonó also confirmed that recent talks between Dominican and Haitian foreign ministry leaders have already produced alignment, with both sides agreeing to maintain a coordinated, unified stance when advocating for the renewal of the international support mission.
    Turning to one of the Dominican Republic’s most important bilateral partnerships, Bisonó underscored the outsized positive impact the United States has on the Dominican national economy. The U.S. drives major economic activity in the country through four key channels: remittances from Dominican diaspora communities, international tourist arrivals, Dominican export access to the large U.S. market, and foreign direct investment. Bisonó revealed that ongoing negotiations between the two governments are currently centered on tariff-related policy adjustments, with the Dominican side working to safeguard domestic economic interests and create more favorable conditions for both national investment and export growth.
    Following the conclusion of the United Nations General Assembly proceedings in New York, Bisonó announced he will travel south to Washington, D.C. for a series of official engagements with senior U.S. government representatives. The meetings are scheduled to include talks with officials from the White House, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Energy.
    In a major shift for the Dominican Foreign Ministry, Bisonó also announced that the department will take on a far more active role in driving the country’s economic goals moving forward. The institution will prioritize supporting Dominican export expansion, attracting new foreign investment, and backing domestic producers, with all Dominican ambassadors and consuls around the world being directed to proactively identify new business opportunities and actively promote Dominican goods and services in their host countries. To further streamline regional trade logistics, Bisonó also highlighted the ongoing development of dry ports along the Dominican-Haitian border, a project designed to strengthen cross-border supply chains and facilitate smoother bilateral trade flows.

  • Govt opts for $400k Fresh Creek Bridge repair

    Govt opts for $400k Fresh Creek Bridge repair

    After ditching a billion-dollar temporary crossing proposal that failed to meet cost-effectiveness standards, Bahamian authorities have greenlit a $400,000 emergency repair project to reopen the condemned Fresh Creek Bridge on the island of Andros, government officials confirmed this week.

    Clay Sweeting, Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs, announced that remediation work is scheduled to kick off on October 1 and is projected to wrap up within 4 to 6 weeks. The policy shift reverses an announcement made back in August, when officials said they would install a temporary crossing to keep vehicle traffic flowing while a full permanent replacement was constructed. Contractors had pegged the cost of that temporary structure at more than $10 million, a price tag that Sweeting said was never feasible for his ministry.

    Following the bridge’s closure over safety concerns, ministry engineers carried out a full site assessment, evaluating both the temporary crossing option and the possibility of repairing the existing span. Robert Mouzas, Director of Public Works, explained that officials initially ruled out repairs, believing the damaged infrastructure was too compromised to fix, and began moving forward with plans for a temporary bridge. Upon further review, however, the team concluded the short-term temporary structure would not deliver value for public money, as it would only be needed for the relatively narrow window before a permanent replacement is completed.

    Additional engineering investigations ultimately uncovered a viable, low-cost repair solution for the existing bridge. The structure was condemned after inspectors found an intermediate pier had sunk, shifting structural load onto two external supports and pulling three concrete slabs down by a total of nine inches. Repairs will focus on stabilizing the defective span: crews will install four steel tubular piles, then use steel beams to jack up the sunken section and reinforce its load-bearing capacity. All work will be completed from the water, requiring a barge to be transported from another Family Island. Mouzas noted that coordinating the barge’s delivery caused the pre-construction delay, and added that the repair method matches a successful remediation done on another section of the bridge in the past.

    Once repairs are finished, vehicle traffic will resume across the crossing, allowing the temporary ferry service that currently connects the communities to be discontinued. Officials will implement ongoing structural monitoring to ensure safety in the interim before a permanent bridge is built.

    Leon Lundy, Member of Parliament for Central Andros, South Andros and Mangrove Cay, emphasized that the crossing is an indispensable economic lifeline that links communities across the island. “It’s the economic bridge between the north central side of Andros and the south central side,” Lundy said, noting that the connected regions rely on integrated economic activity and residents have been eager to see normal travel restored. “That’s what we’re hoping to do in the month of October, bring some normalcy back and then move towards getting a final permanent bridge fixed.”

    Looking ahead, the government will issue a request for proposals in the coming months to select a contractor for the engineering, design and construction of a full permanent replacement bridge. Preliminary plans call for a new crossing stretching from the northern dock to the southern creek bank. The new structure could be built adjacent to the existing crossing or on the same approximate site, with the final layout to be settled once a contractor is on board.

    The permanent project will also include a key environmental component: removing a section of the existing causeway that currently blocks a portion of the creek. Mouzas explained that the strongest tidal current runs through the creek’s deeper channel, and removing the obstruction will allow water to flow more evenly across the entire waterway. This adjustment will also improve access for boats using the local dock and benefit mangrove ecosystems located farther west. Currently, sections of the creek’s water are stagnant, a problem that developed from human modifications to the creek that created the blockage.

    The Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs said it will release regular updates as repair work progresses and procurement for the permanent bridge moves forward.

  • Organizations rally outside National Palace for recognition of nationality for Dominicans of Haitian descent

    Organizations rally outside National Palace for recognition of nationality for Dominicans of Haitian descent

    On Tuesday, just days ahead of the 13th anniversary of a landmark and deeply divisive 2013 citizenship ruling, dozens of Dominican social and human rights organizations gathered for a peaceful civic demonstration outside the National Palace in Santo Domingo. Organized under the unifying slogan “For the Full Recognition of Nationality and the End of Statelessness”, the protest brought together a broad coalition of 13 groups, ranging from migrant advocacy organizations and women’s rights collectives to human rights commissions and faith-based migrant services.

    At the core of the demonstration was a urgent demand: the Dominican government must deliver a permanent, definitive resolution to the decades-long nationality and documentation crisis sparked by Constitutional Court Ruling 168-13, issued September 23, 2013. The controversial ruling retroactively stripped citizenship from people born in the Dominican Republic to undocumented migrant parents, a move that disproportionately impacted an estimated 200,000 Dominicans of Haitian descent and left many of them stateless, with no globally recognized nationality.

    Coalition members detailed that even 13 years after the ruling, affected communities continue to face systemic barriers to accessing, renewing, and using official identity documents — a reality that holds even for individuals who were previously registered in the national Civil Registry and had already been issued formal Dominican citizenship documentation. Speakers also criticized the existing legal framework established to address the crisis, Law 169-14, which divides affected people into two separate categories with differing pathways to documentation, arguing that this tiered system creates unfair, discriminatory differentiated treatment that perpetuates the crisis.

    The groups emphasized that documentation challenges extend far beyond minor bureaucratic inconveniences. These barriers block access to formal education, legal employment participation, civil court processes, and even the ability to register children’s births at birth. Beyond bureaucratic inequity, activists called for an immediate end to the widespread racial profiling they say permeates nationality verification processes in the country. They insisted that a person’s skin color, physical traits, family surname, or ancestral background should never be used as a basis to question or deny their citizenship.

    Additional demands from the coalition included a policy reform requiring authorities to complete full identity and nationality verification before implementing any deportation procedures. During the rally, representatives shared unconfirmed allegations that some Dominicans of Haitian descent have been pulled into immigration questioning and detention while accessing routine medical care, and subsequently expelled from the country. These claims have not been validated through an official government investigation as of the rally.

  • Gajadien en Pawiroredjo willen automatische koppeling salaris president schrappen

    Gajadien en Pawiroredjo willen automatische koppeling salaris president schrappen

    Two members of Suriname’s National Assembly (DNA), Asiskumar Gajadien and Jerrel Pawiroredjo, have tabled a private member’s bill on Monday that would break the long-standing linkage between the presidential salary and the pay of senior civil service department directors. The legislation, if approved, would mark a major shift in how the top executive’s compensation is set, prioritizing parliamentary oversight and fiscal accountability in the South American nation.

    Under the current regulatory framework, which was formalized in the 2024 Law on Financial Provisions for the President and Vice-President of the Republic of Suriname, the president’s pay automatically rises or falls in line with changes to the salary of a General Service Department Director. This automatic adjustment mechanism means the National Assembly is not required to vote separately on any modifications to the presidential salary when civil service pay scales are updated. The new bill seeks to end this indirect adjustment process entirely.

    If passed, the proposed legislation will set a fixed monthly base salary of 270,000 Surinamese dollars (SRD) for the president directly in law. The existing proportion for the vice-president’s salary will remain unchanged, with the vice-president continuing to receive 75% of the president’s monthly pay – equal to SRD 202,500 under the proposed base rate. While the old benchmark of four times a General Service Department Director’s salary will be retained as an indicative reference value, it will no longer trigger automatic changes to the presidential salary when the civil service figure is adjusted.

    Under the new framework, any future change to the president’s salary will require a full new legislative process and approval from the National Assembly. When considering future adjustments, lawmakers will be required to take into account multiple relevant factors, including national price inflation and changes in household purchasing power, public sector salary trends across the board, and the current fiscal and budgetary position of the Surinamese state. The bill also mandates that a full review of the presidential salary must be conducted at least once every three years, though even a scheduled review will not automatically result in a pay increase – any adjustment still requires a separate parliamentary vote.

    The push for decoupling comes amid renewed public and political debate over salary adjustments for senior political officeholders in Suriname. The existing law governing presidential and vice-presidential financial provisions was only passed in November 2024 and published as S.B. 2024 no. 159. Notably, this is not the first attempt to amend this legislation this year: an earlier private member’s bill was submitted to the National Assembly on February 23, 2026, which focused on revising the pay structure to align with the principle of pay equality. Unlike the earlier proposal, the new bill from Gajadien and Pawiroredjo specifically targets the elimination of automatic pay pass-through from civil service salaries to the presidency, arguing that hikes for lower-level administrative posts should not automatically translate to higher pay for the head of state.

    The bill’s sponsors argue that the new structure will strengthen three core pillars of democratic governance: parliamentary oversight of executive compensation, greater transparency for public finances, and tighter budgetary discipline for the state. By requiring explicit legislative approval for any change to the presidential salary, the proposal aims to give elected representatives direct control over the executive’s pay, ensuring all adjustments are debated publicly and aligned with the country’s broader economic conditions.

  • Cherissa Roberts Thomas Appointed Magistrate, Veronica E. Thomas Elevated to Senior Magistrate

    Cherissa Roberts Thomas Appointed Magistrate, Veronica E. Thomas Elevated to Senior Magistrate

    Antigua and Barbuda’s judicial branch is receiving a targeted boost, following the confirmation of two key judicial appointments that went into effect on July 1, 2026. Veteran legal professional Cherissa Roberts Thomas has joined the Magistracy as a Magistrate for the Family Division, while long-sitting judicial officer Veronica E. Thomas has been elevated to the role of Senior Magistrate.

    Roberts Thomas brings more than 24 years of specialized legal experience to her new post, building a distinguished career across private practice, legal leadership and community service. She earned an Upper Second-Class Honours Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Wolverhampton, followed by a Legal Education Certificate from Jamaica’s prestigious Norman Manley Law School. In 2002, she was formally admitted to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in Antigua and Barbuda, marking the start of her public-facing legal work.

    After eight years working in established private practices, Roberts Thomas launched her own independent law firm, C. Roberts Thomas & Associates, in 2010, leading the practice as Founder and Managing Attorney for more than 15 years. A committed leader within the local legal community, she has held multiple governance roles within the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association, culminating in her service as the organization’s President from 2022 to 2025. Her professional credentials also include certification as a court-appointed mediator, with a particular focus on family law mediation. Outside of her formal legal work, Roberts Thomas has long volunteered with community and non-profit groups dedicated to local development and equitable social progress. Officials note that her diverse background in legal practice, mediation, leadership and community outreach will bring valuable perspective to the Family Division, which handles sensitive legal matters impacting families and children across the islands.

    In a parallel change to the Magistracy leadership, Veronica E. Thomas has been promoted to the position of Senior Magistrate, with her appointment officially taking effect on November 14, 2025, ahead of her assuming duties at the St. John’s Magistrate’s Court in July 2026. First called to the Antigua and Barbuda Bar in October 1998, Thomas brings nearly 30 years of legal and judicial experience to her new role. She joined the judicial bench in 2012, and made history as the first ever Magistrate assigned exclusively to Antigua and Barbuda’s Family Court Division. Prior to her judicial career, Thomas held public legal roles including Crown Counsel and Assistant Registrar of the High Court, before entering private legal practice. She has also contributed to policy and operational work across multiple committees of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and holds active membership in the Eastern Caribbean Association of Women Judges. Like Roberts Thomas, she is a trained mediator specializing in both civil and family law matters. In her new capacity as Senior Magistrate, Thomas will oversee criminal and civil cases across the court’s Districts A, B and C.

    Attorney General Sir Steadroy C. Benjamin has publicly welcomed both appointments, emphasizing that the expanded leadership team will strengthen the Magistracy’s overall operational capacity. Benjamin highlighted that the changes are designed to cut down on long-standing case processing delays, and improve equitable access to justice for all Antigua and Barbuda citizens. He offered official congratulations to both jurists, wishing them continued success in their new roles as they support the fair and efficient administration of justice across the country. Officials confirmed that the two appointments are part of a sustained, multi-year government initiative to reinforce Antigua and Barbuda’s judicial framework, ensuring all matters brought before the Magistrate’s Court are resolved in a timely, fair and transparent manner.

  • Nazar “Shell” Mohamed denies knowing Justice Gino Persaud

    Nazar “Shell” Mohamed denies knowing Justice Gino Persaud

    On Monday, September 21, 2026, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed, a billionaire Guyanese businessman currently wanted by the United States to face trial for alleged financial crimes alongside his son Azruddin, issued a public statement pushing back against growing public speculation over an alleged improper relationship with High Court Judge Gino Persaud, who recently ruled in their favor in a high-stakes civil tax case.

    In the carefully worded statement, the elder Mohamed sought to eliminate all ambiguity surrounding the pair’s connection to the judge, emphasizing that he and his son have never met Persaud, either during his prior career as a private attorney or his tenure on the High Court bench. Mohamed stated that Persaud has never engaged in any business dealings with the father-son pair, and the two parties share no personal, professional, or social ties of any kind. The only link between them, Mohamed confirmed, is that legal matters involving his family were assigned to Persaud in his official capacity as a sitting High Court judge.

    Persaud, who delivered a ruling favorable to the Mohameds in the multimillion-dollar civil tax evasion case, was recently blocked from boarding a flight bound for Jamaica – where he planned to attend a judicial conference with a transit stop in Florida – after learning his U.S. visa was placed under official review. As of Monday, Persaud has not made any public comment on the visa situation or the broader controversy surrounding the case.

    The elder Mohamed drew a direct connection between the judge’s visa troubles and fierce public criticism of Persaud leveled by Guyana’s top government officials following the tax ruling, which centered on luxury vehicles including a Lamborghini and a Ferrari owned by the Mohamed family. President Irfaan Ali, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, and Attorney General Anil Nandlall all publicly condemned the ruling, adding to a longer pattern of public pushback against the judge from senior government figures.

    Against this backdrop, which also includes the Guyanese government’s hiring of U.S.-based lobbyists to tie the Mohameds to ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Nazar Mohamed said he has growing doubts that he and his son will receive a fair adjudication of their ongoing legal matters in Guyana’s domestic court system. He argued that the visa issue creates a coercive chilling effect that could intimidate sitting judges from ruling in the pair’s favor out of fear of professional or personal repercussions.

    “Judicial independence demands that a judge be able to reach a decision rooted exclusively in applicable law and presented evidence, free from concern over which parties will be angered by the outcome or what consequences may follow that ruling,” Mohamed said. “No judge should be forced to question whether a ruling against the government will put their career, their ability to travel internationally, their reputation, or their personal life at risk.”

    Notably, Mohamed was once a prominent public supporter and financial backer of the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic, the current ruling party in Guyana. The Mohameds first drew international legal scrutiny in June 2024, when the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed formal sanctions on the pair over allegations of tax evasion connected to gold exports from Guyana. They now also face an 11-count grand jury indictment in U.S. Federal Court for the Southern District of Florida, which charges them with wire fraud, money laundering, and mail fraud tied to their formerly registered gold trading business.