A statement issued by Azruddin Mohamed on January 7 opposing Guyana’s acceptance of third-country nationals is now being sharply contradicted by a leaked audio recording involving his father, Nazar Mohamed, which suggests the active recruitment of foreign nationals rather than skilled Guyanese.
In the January 7 release, Azruddin Mohamed, speaking on behalf of We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), said the party is opposed to any arrangement that would see Guyana accepting third-country nationals from the United States. He criticised the reported discussions as lacking transparency, parliamentary scrutiny and public consultation, and argued that Guyana should prioritise the employment and development of skilled Guyanese instead of bringing in foreign labour.
“We reject this approach while many skilled Guyanese remain unemployed and while the development of our own people is not prioritised,” the statement said, while also warning that the country’s infrastructure is already under pressure.
However, a leaked audio recording circulating publicly tells a markedly different story. In the recording, Nazar Mohamed is heard berating a worker and repeatedly referring to replacing him with someone else, including individuals from Africa. During the exchange, he dismisses the worker’s concerns over pay, threatens termination, and states that he will “get somebody good” to do the work instead.
The language used in the recording strongly suggests an openness to, and reliance on, foreign labour, directly undermining the public position outlined by Azruddin Mohamed. The remarks also raise questions about why foreign nationals would be recruited for work if WIN claims to oppose the importation of non-Guyanese labour while skilled locals remain unemployed.
Notably, foreign nationals, including Venezuelans, Cubans, and Portuguese, are often in close contact with Azruddin.
The contradiction has fuelled public scrutiny, with critics questioning how a political stance rejecting third-country nationals aligns with private conduct that appears to favour recruiting them over Guyanese workers.
