Guyana told to direct information request on sanctions to US Justice Department

Two weeks after the Guyana Government through the Ministry of Finance requested information from the US Treasury Department on the evidence that led to the sanctions against Guyanese billionaire businessmen, Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed, and Permanent Secretary Mae Thomas, the US Government has directed queries to its Department of Justice.

In a statement last evening, Minister responsible for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, explained that the Guyana Government received a response from Washington advising that that the information request be sent from the office of the Attorney General to the US Department of Justice, which will then work with the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to gather source documentation on the matter.

The Government was further advised that, while the process could be a long one, it should be aided by the fact that both Guyana and the US are signatories to the Inter-American Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance.

Additional information was also shared with Guyana on the mutual legal assistance process.

The Finance Minister said the Government will now submit the request to the US Justice Department.

He said the Guyana Government will also continue to pursue its efforts to gather information through the Tax Information Exchange Agreement.

The Agreement provides for the exchange of information to administer and enforce laws concerning the taxes specified, to assure the accurate assessment and collection of taxes to prevent fiscal fraud and evasion, and to develop improved information sources for tax matters.

In addition to the mutual legal assistance process, Dr. Singh said he expects that the arrangements in place for exchange of tax information and cooperation between tax authorities will provide a means through which relevant information can be shared on matters of this nature in a timely and effective manner.

Following the actions taken on June 11 by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to sanction the Guyanese businessmen and the Permanent Secretary, the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Finance and the Guyana Revenue Authority wrote to the US Treasury Department requesting relevant information in relation to the sanctions.

Pressident Irfaan Ali has said that a full investigation will be undertaken locally since “no one is above the law”.

The Mohameds were sanctioned over their alleged under-declaration of gold and the evasion of more than US$50 Million in local taxes, while Permanent Secretary Mae Thomas was sanctioned over her alleged involvement in a bribery scheme linked to the Mohameds, and also her alleged role in protecting them from criminal prosecution and investigation, according to the US report.