Guyana Anti Corruption Network

Barrels of Drugs Found at PPP Councillor’s House, No Accountability: The PPP Protects Criminals

By the Guyana Anti-Corruption Network (GACN)

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The Guyana Anti-Corruption Network (GACN) is today demanding answers following disturbing reports that a sitting People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillor was caught with barrels of cannabis—yet walked away without a single charge.

The case of Ronita Stuart, a PPP Councillor and staff of the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport, exposes the rot at the heart of the “One Guyana” slogan. For ordinary Guyanese, a single joint leads to a public lambasting, handcuffs, and a court date. For the PPP elite, kilos of drugs in barrels appear to be a ticket to State House parties and government contracts.

A Tale of Two Systems

Sources at the Cove and John Police Station have revealed to GACN that when barrels of cannabis were discovered at Stuart’s Clonbrook home, the standard procedure of arrest and prosecution was mysteriously abandoned. Instead, sources claim high-level calls were made—specifically demanding that Ronita be released forthwith.

No charges were filed. No names were published. No faces were shown.

The message is clear: There is one system for the ordinary man, and another entirely for the politically connected.

Smiling with the Attorney General

In an image obtained by GACN, Ronita Stuart is seen happily smiling for the camera alongside Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall. The photo, taken in a jovial, public setting, stands in stark contrast to the gravity of the allegations against her.

GACN is hereby calling on Attorney General Anil Nandlall to issue a public statement explaining his relationship with Ronita Stuart and clarifying whether he was ever made aware of the drug find at her residence. If the Attorney General has nothing to hide, a simple statement will suffice.

Minister Charles Ramson Must Act

GACN is also calling on Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson, to immediately address why a staff member of his ministry—reportedly found with barrels of cannabis—remains employed and uncharged. Has Ronita Stuart been suspended? Or does political protection extend into his ministry as well?

A Direct Demand to President Irfaan Ali

GACN is now calling on President Irfaan Ali to personally intervene and answer the following questions before the Guyanese people and the international community:

1. Does the President approve of senior PPP officials and government staff being shielded from drug prosecutions?
2. Will the President order the Police Commissioner to release the full Cove and John Police Station case file?
3. Is this the “One Guyana” the President promised to the nation—one where political connections nullify criminal liability?

Silence from the Office of the President will be interpreted as complicity.

An Appeal to the International Community

Guyana is rapidly positioning itself as a major oil economy and a rising leader in CARICOM. Yet, this case reveals a troubling reality: politically connected individuals appear to operate above the law, even when barrels of illegal drugs are found in their homes.

GACN is therefore formally appealing to:

· Foreign Embassies accredited to Guyana (including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union Delegation) to take note of this case as evidence of selective justice and potential state-sponsored protection of drug-related activity.
· International Law Enforcement Agencies (including the US DEA, UK National Crime Agency, and CARICOM IMPACS) to request from Guyana’s authorities the complete, unredacted file on the Clonbrook drug find. The international community has a right to know whether Guyana’s law enforcement system can be trusted in the fight against narcotics trafficking.
· The CARICOM Secretariat to demand that Guyana uphold its treaty obligations under the CARICOM Arrest Warrant Treaty and other regional crime-fighting instruments.

If Guyana’s government can protect a Councillor found with barrels of cannabis, what else is being protected? This is no longer a domestic matter—it is a regional and international red flag.

Contracts, Champagne, and a Broken System

While the small man rots in jail awaiting trial for minor possession, Ronita Stuart and her husband continue to roam free. Sources indicate the couple has secured millions in government contracts, all while partying at State House—the official residence of the President.

The hypocrisy is staggering. The PPP lectures the nation on anti-drug campaigns while allegedly shielding their own from the consequences of trafficking.

GACN’s Formal Demands

The Guyana Anti-Corruption Network is calling on:

1. President Irfaan Ali to immediately issue a public statement and order the release of all police records related to the Clonbrook drug find.
2. Attorney General Anil Nandlall to issue a public statement explaining his association with Ronita Stuart.
3. Minister Charles Ramson to confirm whether Ronita Stuart remains employed and what action has been taken.
4. Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken to release the Cove and John Police Station case file, including records of any calls made to secure Stuart’s release.

To the International Community

GACN invites foreign embassies, international media, and law enforcement bodies to scrutinize this case. The world is watching as Guyana claims to be a new model of transparency. This case proves otherwise.

We demand accountability. We demand equal justice. We demand the truth.

— End of Statement —