Candidate for the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Natasha Singh, plans to mount a legal challenge against Demerara Bank after the financial institution closed her personal account and the personal accounts of a number of other candidates of the party.

While the bank has not offered any official explanation, it is suspected that the decision is possibly linked to the candidates’ affiliation with the party’s Presidential Candidate, Azruddin Mohamed, who remains sanctioned by the US Government along with his father, their companies and Government Permanent Secretary, Mae Thomas. Under the US sanctions, financial institutions could face risks for doing business with the sanctioned persons and their sanctioned companies.

At a press conference last evening, the party’s Campaign Manager, Odessa Primus, its Election Agent, Duarte Hetsberger, and Candidate Natasha Singh disclosed that at least five of the party’s candidates, including Singh and Hetsberger, have received letters from Demerara Bank discontinuing all account maintenance services provided to them.

Singh – a former APNU+AFC Member of Parliament – said much to her surprise, she was informed on Tuesday by the bank that it would be closing her account.

A copy of Singh’s letter from the bank, which was shared with the media stated that, “We write to inform you that Demerara Bank Limited will be discontinuing all account maintenance services provided to you effective July 25, 2025. This decision was made in compliance with our internal policies and banking requirements.”

The letter, written by the bank’s Senior Manager, Operations and Corporate Banking, Kenesha Collins, further indicated that in an effort to ensure a smooth transition, the bank will no longer accept deposits into the accounts.

It warned that failure to close the accounts by Friday will result in the Bank converting her funds into a Banker’s Draft, which would be held at its Camp and South Road Branch for collection.

Singh said after receiving the letter, she immediately visited the Bank on Tuesday to seek further clarification as to the reason behind the decision, but was met with a brick wall with bank officials offering no explanation other than the contents of the letter.

Singh said she has since been advised to take legal action against Demerara Bank.

“The bank has a license and has a responsibility to do business with all Guyanese, and my service with them goes beyond 15 years. I have had 15 years or more of uninterrupted service with that bank, and suddenly today, I received a letter to say that they will discontinue service with me. I found that very strange,” Singh told reporters.

Singh said it is mind boggling while one bank would take such an action, but she assured that in the face of this clear attempt to intimidate the candidates, the party remains resolute.

“Truth be told what this is doing to all of us, when I look at it at the national level, it is really building our strength and resilience to bound together and ensure that we work harder to take the PPP, the vindictive PPP out of Government,” Singh said.

Hetsberger said he too received an almost identical letter from Demerara Bank on Tuesday with the only difference being the name of the account holder.  

He said when he contacted the bank for clarification, he was told that he no longer meets the banking requirements at Demerara Bank, and he must shut down his accounts with the bank.

“This is an attempt to undermine a democratic process,” Hetsberger said.

He said in one case, the Bank used the information provided to GECOM, and not the address that was provided to the bank, making it clear that the bank was scanning the party’s candidates’ list to make its decision.

“When you go to open an account, maybe I am reaching; they ask you for certain information that you have to verify with your address. One of our candidates received a letter, the address is different from the address he would have given to the bank. It is the address that was listed on our List of Candidates. So, clearly, I can extrapolate and say, they are extracting the names of persons who have connection to the bank from our List. If I am reaching, I am reaching,” Hetsberger said.

He said he is contemplating his next move, and will also consider legal action.

Primus said WIN stands united on the matter, and will not be intimidated.

“We will stand by our people. We will not be intimidated by any stretch of the imagination. And I understand while the government loves power and what the feel of power means for them, our people would not be intimidated. We will stand together, and we will stand strong. Because this is a democracy,” WIN General Secretary said.

The bank’s decision follows WIN’s submission of its List of Candidates to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the subsequent approval of that list to contest the September 1 General and Regional Elections.

The party strongly believes that the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is behind the bank’s decision, since many of its high-ranking members share close ties with the bank’s management.

“I was asked even from persons in the media about why people weren’t mentioned earlier, why we weren’t seeing people earlier and it is because of these same fears that people have, that you have government ministers reaching out to people and calling them and telling them to take their names off the list, and threatening people,” Primus said.

She warned that members and supporters of WIN will pull their finances and support from the bank and associated businesses that have taken such an approach to the party. She said the situation is “unfortunate,” and “unacceptable” and will not be tolerated.

“If Demerara Bank or any other bank decides that they are going to discontinue business with any of our people, all of our people will remove their money. Because if one person’s money, who is part of our team is not good enough for you, then we will take all of it,” she warned.

Primus said WIN’s presidential candidate, candidates and supporters have been the subject of victimization, and it must stop. She said that the party will be writing the international observer missions and the international community to inform them of this most recent “attack” on the party, and the continued attempts “to undermine democracy in Guyana”.

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