Dear Editor,
I refer to a salacious article in your publication July 14, 2023, captioned ‘Nazar Mohamed, son deny accusations of drug, gold smuggling…’ Your article, Editor, relied heavily on a spurious Reuters special report, unnamed U.S. officials, and well-seasoned with regurgitated accusations, anecdotes and innuendoes. It seems very strange that after a thorough investigation into Mr. Nazar “Shell” Mohamed and his companies, by reputable corporations, mostly Americans: Exxon, Halliburton, Champion X, Stena Drilling, Peterson Energy Logistics, Aramco and Baker Hughes, not a shred of evidence has been uncovered to implicate Mr. Mohamed & Companies in drug dealing, money laundering or gold smuggling. Further, the U.S. corporations have all continued to do business with Mr. Mohamed and their business relationships have been growing exponentially. According to the governments of Guyana and the United States of America, they are all in good standing.
On a separate issue that is being conflated is whether Mr. Mohamed is eligible for a non-immigrant US visa. As a lawyer who practices Immigration and Naturalization Law in the United States, it’s absolutely clear that the issuance of such a visa is entirely at the discretion of a U. S. Consular Officer. Nothing nefarious can be inferred from a denial of a non-immigrant visa application other than the adjudicating Consular Officer chose not to exercise his/her favourable discretion at the moment. It was unethical of those advising Mr. Mohamed to push him to retain a PR firm in Washington D.C. to lobby the U.S. State Department for a remedy. Editor, it’s important for your readers to know and for me to declare whether I have either a professional or friendly relationship with Mr. Mohamed. I have known “Shell” for many years even before he became wealthy and well-known. He was from a poor family from the Essequibo Coast. He came to Georgetown, like many others from the Essequibo Coast and the Essequibo Islands in the 1980s. They all hawked pants-length and socks on the sidewalks on Lower Water St., Georgetown.
It’s without any question that the American Gov’t is seeking to get its hands on Mr. Mohamed. However, it’s not for drug dealing, money laundering or gold smuggling. And his U.S. visa applications were not denied because of complicity in those illegal activities. There are allegations of alien smuggling against Shell. However, no formal charges have been filed naming him in any Federal Court in the US and therefore no extradition order has been sought by any U.S. Attorney for his extradition. If there was a mustard seed of evidence that Mr. Mohamed and his companies were engaged in drug dealing, money laundering and gold smuggling, the U.S. Dept. of Justice would have moved to charge and have him extradited. On the other hand, Mr. Nazar Mohamed is guilty of politically associating with the PPP Gov’t and has established long-standing business relationships with many wealthy business owners and corporations in Guyana. Those connections, Editor, is a treasure trove of intelligence for any Gov’t seeking to influence policy makers in other sovereign nations.
I have no professional relationship with Mr. Mohamed, whom I still consider a friend. This letter, Editor, was written because I still respect him for his honesty, humility and unquestionable integrity. In conclusion, I challenge these unnamed U.S. officials. If your Justice Dept. has an iota of evidence that this gentleman and his companies are engaged in drug dealing, money laundering and gold smuggling, then present it before a grand jury in the Southern District of New York and charge him with a crime.
Sincerely,
Fuad Rahaman