“Knight” of long, creeping secrets

Mar 30, 2010 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

A gentleman came up to me last year in the supermarket and said, “Freddie, you don’t understand that thing with Nirmal Rekha; you keep writing about it but you don’t understand it.” His explanation, I must confess, was never captured in my columns.
For those who are not familiar with this episode of PPP politics, let’s recap it briefly. The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) did an investigation of bogus duty free letters signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance that goes under the title, Secretary to the Treasury. The GRA found that the PS, Mr. Nirmal Rekha, signed more than 50 false duty free concession documents.
The Ministry of Finance and Mr. Rekha did not prove the GRA’s investigation of his signature was wrong. The record still stands that Mr. Rekha put his signature to OVER 50 bogus letters
My column, this newspaper, the Stabroek News and many others since 2004 commented on the fact that Mr. Rekha was not disciplined. From time to time since 2004, I would occasionally touch on the Rekha debacle. The angle used was this was protection by the PPP of one of its own.
The supermarket encounter enlightened me to the fact that maybe Rekha was not protected because he is a friend of the power-wielders but maybe those false duty free letters may contain names that Freedom House would not like the nation to know about. So why sacrifice Mr. Rekha. Suppose he behaves like Lambert Marks?
Again, some explanation is needed here for those who don’t know who Lambert Marks was. He was the head of CANU then Trade Administrator of the GRA. In a spat with the Government, Mr. Marks threatened to reveal long, creeping secrets. He made his feeling known publicly by speaking to the press.
We come now to CLICO and President Jagdeo’s remark that Ms. Singh-Knight, CEO of CLICO Guyana, is retained on the Board of Guysuco even though it was under her watch that CLICO was ruined, because she has important skills. Mr. Jagdeo went on to explain that corruption was not a charge against Ms. Singh-Knight.
He intoned that her guilt may have been in the area of bad judgment. He further stated that there are cases of bad investments in times of financial crisis.
Anyone familiar with management principles would know that this is unadulterated nonsense that Mr. Jagdeo has uttered. No harsh word would suffice to describe that observation of Mr. Jagdeo. The opposition should demand his resignation.
I keep writing that Mr. Jagdeo is extremely mediocre in his captaincy of the Guyanese ship. Companies remove their CEOs all the time all over the world for bad judgment when such action hurts the company. This is standard policy in all departments of human behaviour.
If a coach orders a certain strategic formation in football during the World Cup and a loss is the result, he loses his employment. If a director spends a stupendous sum on a movie that results in a loss, the studio parts company with him. When a Foreign Minister makes bad judgment and a nation loses a whopping market, he/she is asked to resign.
How can the President of a country make such a foolish statement? In times of financial crises, a CEO has to rise above the occasion. What Mr. Jagdeo is actually saying is that when times are rough you expect business leaders to falter and that is understandable. I’m afraid in business and politics, this is not the norm. The word of investment is a trillion dollar game. You play your cards wrong your company can go under.
That is why the outcome of bad judgment is peremptory removal. It is the same with politics. You misjudge a situation and you lose the elections. Mr. Jagdeo can say these things because he knows ethnic voting guarantees permanent power to mediocre leaders in Guyana
It is a pity the press didn’t remind Mr. Jagdeo that Joseph O’Lall had important skills as an engineer. Yet he was fired by Mr. Jagdeo. But there is a big BUT here. But Ms. Singh-Knight may be the recipient of a stable of secrets.
Remember what the gentleman in the supermarket told me about the missing angle in the Rehka case? Remember how Marks said he would spill his guts to the public. Of course Mr. Jagdeo doesn’t want an inquiry into CLICO’s collapse. There are many, many things that Mr. Jagdeo doesn’t want to touch at all. In international relations, there is the concept of falling dominoes. You know what I mean.

Latest News

“Knight” of long, creeping secrets

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

GBBFF boss reflects on milestones and leadership transition

National stars shine in GCF End of Year Chess...

Two more young cricketers benefit from Project...

Tonight: Sparta Boss goes up against Bent Street...

Botafgo pummel Milerock, 11-7, to become new UDFA...

BCB player transfer window opens for 2025

Features/Columnists

Democracy thrives on dissent and plurality

Breaking the Chains of Poverty: A need for political will

In the spirit of Christmas: from me to Excellency Ali

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

“Knight” of long, creeping secrets

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]