Guyanese President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali rejected allegations made by opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed about the financing and development of his private farm.

In a video statement on July 9, following his return from the 51st Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government meeting in Saint Lucia, Ali said that the farm was not a secret and that its existence had long been public knowledge.

“My farm is not a discovery. It is public information,” Ali said.

On July 5, Mohamed released a 24-minute video in which he claimed the president had developed what he described as a “150-acre luxury estate ranch” worth an estimated GY$2.2 billion (US$10.5 million).

In the video, Mohamed alleged that the scale of the development could not be justified by the president’s official salary.

He presented his own estimates for the cost of various features on the property, including access roads, electricity infrastructure, poultry facilities, livestock operations, aquaculture systems, greenhouses, orchards, irrigation works, machinery, staff accommodation, and security fencing.

Mohamed alleged that the development was funded with taxpayers’ money and claimed there had been no oversight or public disclosure relating to the project. 

He also called for scrutiny from United States authorities and the international community.

Ali hit back at Mohamed’s claims, insisting he could account for every investment made in the farm and denied receiving any preferential treatment from the state.

“I have not sought any special treatment, any benefit, any investment by the state,” he said.

Ali also disputed Mohamed’s description of the property, saying the farm was “not even half” the size claimed in the video and arguing that the estimates of its value were significantly exaggerated.

“My farm carries a huge loan, and everything has been disclosed to the Integrity Commission in and out of government. There is absolutely nothing to hide,” he said.

The president said the same lease conditions that apply to other agricultural lands along the highway also applied to his property.

Ali said the opposition leader was in no place to question his credibility when he is currently fighting extradition to the United States after being charged in a US$50 million tax evasion and money laundering scheme.

In their indictment, the US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida alleged that the opposition leader and his father, Nazar Mohamed, 72, devised a system in which their company, Mohamed’s Enterprise, paid taxes and royalties on one shipment of gold to obtain official government seals, then reused those same seals on subsequent shipments to avoid paying additional taxes and royalties.

The opposition leader and his father have denied these and other allegations against them.

The president maintained that his investments were made through legitimate means and said he was proud of his work as a farmer.

“You can call me a farmer. It’s a title I hold with honour because I am proud of everything I have done, and my conscience is clear,” Ali said.

The president said he intends to periodically broadcast live from the farm so the public can see the property for themselves.