-after Team Mohamed’s account disappeared
`They have tried every possible way to silence me. I am not afraid. I will not be intimidated’
Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed has announced that he will now use the social media platform, “Office of the Leader of the Opposition, Guyana,” after his widely followed Team Mohamed’s page became inaccessible.
In a message to supporters in Guyana and the diaspora, Mohamed said the new page would become his primary platform for communicating with the public and sharing political updates. “To my Guyanese brothers and sisters at home in Guyana, as well as those in America, Canada, England, Trinidad, Barbados, Suriname, across the Caribbean, and everyone in the entire diaspora, I am back,” Mohamed said.
Mohamed said he intended to rebuild his online presence following the loss of the page, which he said had 541,000 followers and reached millions of people worldwide. “They gave us lemons, we are making lemonade,” he said.
He urged former followers of Team Mohamed’s to migrate to the new platform, asking them to like, share and follow the page and to submit complaints and information concerning alleged corruption through its messenger service. “The people are not following a page. The people are following the man behind the page,” Mohamed said, adding, “You can shut down Team Mohamed’s, but wherever I go, the people who want to see Guyana be better will follow.”
Mohamed also used the message to provide an update on items that had been taken into police custody. He said his cell phones, laptop and other documents were returned on Tuesday at approximately 5 p.m. Three members of his staff, Eugene Thorn, Mario Mohamed and Dwayne Ross, were also released after being detained for 72 hours.
He alleged that the three men were subjected to “inhumane treatment” and said they would speak publicly about their experiences. However, Mohamed said a boat and one vehicle remain in police custody.
He said the boat had been in Guyana for 13 years and had been used for humanitarian and political activities, expressing concern that the vessel could be damaged because it was now exposed to the elements. “The boat is exposed to rain and sun, which could eventually damage the boat. We had this boat in an enclosed garage,” he said.
Mohamed also accused the government of attempting to silence him because of the content published on the Team Mohamed’s page. He said the page had been used to highlight government corruption and unresolved issues across Guyana’s 10 regions.
Mohamed said the loss of the page would not deter him from continuing his political activities. “They have tried every possible way to silence me. I am not afraid. I will not be intimidated,” he said. “Setbacks will come, but we do not retreat, and we do not surrender.”
He also turned his attention to President Irfaan Ali, questioning the lack of updates on several matters while he was away from social media.
Mohamed said the public was still awaiting a tour of the government’s mega-farm, an update on efforts to float the MV Barima and compensation for affected families. He also said a video concerning a property in Leonora would be released soon.
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