President admits ownership of massive farm and ranch on highway; Accuses Opposition Leader of blackmail

A detailed video release by Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed this morning on a massive 150-acre “ranch” and farm owned by President Irfaan Ali along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway has gotten the President’s attention, and an admission that he is the owner of the facility.

In a 24-minute packaged video release that included drone footage and photographs of the farm and what the Opposition Leader called a “ranch”, the Opposition Leader accused the President of corruption in his acquisition of the land and the farming activities taking place there.

The facility includes large cattle rearing and sheep rearing areas and farmlands as well as lodges and living facilities. Mohamed, in his video, said the President needs to explain the financing of the massive project that is tucked away off the highway, estimating that hundreds of millions of dollars would have had to been use to develop the area and the facilities.

In a response to NewsRoom, the President stated that he may be the victim of blackmail, claiming that he has been repeatedly contacted via text messages by the father of the Opposition Leader in recent weeks calling for amends to be made between the President and his family.

On the explosive allegations made by the Opposition Leader, President Ali said the farm was acquired by him before he assumed the Presidency, adding that the acquisition of the property can be independently verified through banking records and other official documentation.

He said he has also been making the appropriate declarations to the Integrity Commission and that the acquisition of his assets and the source of the funds used to acquire them are capable of verification through the relevant financial and regulatory records.

The President said he has a longstanding passion for agriculture and farming, and his interest in the sector did not begin with his presidency.

He further explained that the farm has never received any special benefit, preferential treatment, or assistance from the Government of Guyana, either before or after he assumed office, and that at no point have State funds, public resources, or government assets been used in relation to the investment.

The Opposition Leader said the entire project points to corruption, which he believes is a growing trend in the current Government.

(Photos from Opposition Leader’s social media page)

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