Nation to rise up against abuse of taxpayers dollars

Jun 15, 2009 News

“The Opposition could talk cheese, it will not make a difference…It is ultimately up to the people of Guyana to let the Govt. know that enough is enough.” – GTUC

It is time for all Guyanese who have a vested interest in how taxes are spent to stand and let the Government know that enough is enough.
This is according to General Secretary (ag) of the Guyana Trades Union Congress,Norris Witter, as it relates to the constant misuse and abuse of taxpayers dollars.
He noted that this must be the case, since the regulatory mechanisms in place are ineffective and have all been compromised by the ruling administration with its majority in the House.
According to Witter, “the Opposition could talk cheese, it will not make a difference. It is ultimately up to the people of Guyana to let the Government know that enough is enough”.
This, he said, was because the Govt. has been entrusted with the tax payers’ dollars to develop the country and as such, it is the people that pay their taxes who have a vested interest in ensuring that this money is utilized wisely and not as is highlighted every year by the Auditor General.
He was adamant that it is only the people of Guyana who in the end could make a difference and they must act expediently, pledging that the GTUC will play its part.
He said that on Wednesday, the executive of the union umbrella body will be meeting to chart a course forward with an aim to effecting change.
The findings in the latest Auditor General’s Report, according to Leader of the Peoples National Congress Reform, Robert Corbin, are not surprising and amply illustrate that the culture of unaccountability emanates from the very top of the hierarchy in the current ruling administration.
Corbin recently told this newspaper that the government seems to be unmoved by these kinds of exposures to the populace.
He said that in any other country the government would have had to resign, given that this was not a one-time occurrence; given that in each of the reports there are brazen acts of improprieties as it relates to the spending of taxpayers dollars, by those that have been entrusted to do so.
According to Corbin, there was very little that could be done to curb this behaviour by the administration, given that they seem immune to being exposed to the populace for their wrongdoings.
Corbin noted however, that “ultimately the decision was up to the people of Guyana at the elections.”
The Auditor General of Guyana (ag), Deodat Sharma, on Friday last, presented the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, with a copy of the completed 2007 report.
It was however pointed out that problems highlighted in previous Auditor General reports, have recurred in the latest report that was laid in the National Assembly.
According to Sharma, the Contingency Fund is still being abused; there are still overpayments on contracts, missing vouchers, “old bank accounts not being closed as yet, especially those big overdrafts that continue.”
He said that the proceeds from the lotto company are still not paid into contingency fund; and those funds are still being abused.
The report was delayed this year because of the staff constraints at the Audit Office. However, Mr. Sharma promised to present the 2008 report by December.
Sharma also stated that the first value for money audit will be handed over come next month.
Public Accounts Committee is currently scrutinising the 2006 report, which was replete with questionably scenarios at the various Ministries.
The 2006 report was used by the opposition to accuse the government of massive corruption.

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