Embattled PPP/C local government councillor for the Eccles/ Ramsburg, East Bank Demerara community, Nazar Mohamed has resigned, President Irfaan Ali yesterday announced.
“Mr Mohamed who has been a PPP/C councillor, I have seen a resignation from the post at the NDC,” President Irfaan Ali yesterday announced at a press conference hosted at State House, Georgetown in response to a question from Stabroek News.
There has been no word from Mohamed and he did not respond to messages from the Stabroek News on the reason for his resignation.
The United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) – its financial intelligence and enforcement agency – last week sanctioned both Nazar and his son Azruddin. Allegations against the Mohameds include defrauding the government here of some US$50 million in taxes from smuggled gold, as well as bribing public officials.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour Mae Toussaint Jr Thomas was also sanctioned and it alleged that she used her office while serving at the Ministry of Home Affairs, to offer benefits to the Mohameds that included contracts, licences for weapons, and passports.
OFAC also designated Nazar Mohamed as being “a foreign person who is or has been a leader or official of Mohamed’s Enterprise, an entity whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. [Executive Order] 13818, as a result of activities related to Nazar’s tenure.”
Mohamed had been selected as the Eccles/Ramsburg PPP/C representative last year and had won overwhelmingly. He had told this newspaper that he was running not to get into mainstream politics, but that he wanted to contribute positively to the development of his community. He noted then that he had already been receiving support from residents in the community.
He explained that he decided to go with the PPP/C since his chance of getting on the council was higher, as according to his calculations, they normally win 90 per cent of the seats on the council.
Mohamed noted too that he had been in the community for the past 40 years and has been contributing to development. He believed that if he made it to the council he could advance his contributions.
“I don’t want to go into the main political realm. Even at this stage, if the chairmanship is offered to me I would accept it. I just want to play more of an advisory role,” Mohamed had stated as he pointed out that he is already aged and believes his energies can be used to significantly develop the community.
It is unclear who will replace him.
