Look who is talking about corruption

Sep 28, 2008 Features / Columnists

The issue of corruption has long been a talking point in the country, and more particularly when some people began to display signs of wealth, especially when they had no visible means of acquiring such wealth. Chief among these people have been the so-called Customs officers and certain members of the disciplined services.

In many countries, the source of such apparent wealth would have been readily identified, either by virtue of an examination of their tax returns or by careful scrutiny of their activities.

This is difficult in Guyana, largely because some of the people asked to conduct the investigations are themselves people who could be influenced by the wealth, and would compromise the action either by taking monies to sidetrack the investigation or by stalling the process.

There have, however, been some checks by the Guyana Revenue Authority at certain times, and where necessary the adjustments have been made.

The people have been made to pay the taxes to reflect the wealth. However, there have been those who have used the courts to stall, since they were often quick to file injunctions.

This has stalled many investigations, especially when one considers the slow nature of the courts. Businessmen, in particular, have been known to use this option, and the courts have always been inclined to grant interim ex-parte injunctions.

President Bharrat Jagdeo, in his best intentions, has been critical of the courts, but the voices aligned against the Government have seized the opportunity to proclaim that the Government was seeking to dictate to an independent court.

The inability to correctly root out instances of corruption in such areas has now come back to haunt this nation, because there is now the printed report by a group calling itself Transparency International that says that Guyana is one of the most corrupt nations in the world.

At first blush, the Government was prepared to dismiss such reports. It is even now prepared to ignore the report, because of the inherent bias in the people who compiled it.

The people who compiled the report never questioned the decision makers or the people who execute policy, to ascertain the veracity of the information they obtained from those who are quick to blame the Government.

They simply documented even the untruths that were presented, because it is in the nature of people in big countries to maintain a certain image of small, poor countries, and Guyana has been unable to escape this stereotyping.

More recently, President Jagdeo ordered a comprehensive investigation of certain operations within the Guyana Revenue Authority. A number of officers have been sent home to facilitate the investigation.

As soon as this was done, the very people who insisted that corruption is rife in Guyana began to protest the action.

Some began to talk about dictatorship and harassment; some spoke of heavy-handed action, and still others spoke of Government pressure.

The truth is that many of those implicated have been displaying wealth far beyond their means, but they have been clever enough to register whatever property they have in the names of parents or siblings.

The Government has investigated the very parents and siblings, and has found that whatever the officers stated was far from the truth. Again, there should be recourse to the courts, and the cycle of delay raises its ugly head.

If the lower court rules in favour of the Government, then there is the move to the Appeals Court, and further delay. Today, there is also the possibility to move to the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Those who are quick to blame the Government refuse to acknowledge that they themselves foster whatever level of corruption there is among the workers.

They cannot accuse the Government of corruption, because the system is so designed that any corrupt transaction comes to light.

The Inter American Development Bank has openly said that it is not aware of any level of corruption in its dealing with the Government over the years.

This institution has pumped millions of dollars into the country, and every penny has been accounted for, according to the Bank.

There is going to be no end to the reports that seek to paint the Government in a negative light, but instead of blaming the Government, the critics should examine their own role in perpetrating some of the myths that abound today.

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Look who is talking about corruption

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