Corruption runs very, very deep in Guyana, says Imam

Aug 04, 2012 News

---

“Running behind wealth is the source of all evil today. There is a greedy accumulation of wealth among some of us. These people can ruin our society…particularly if they occupy high offices or are influential. It isn’t that we mustn’t have wealth, but when our passion for wealth has become so much that this is the sole object of our lives, we don’t care if we’ve got to kill to get it, cheat, steal, or be corrupt.”

By Leon Suseran

Imam of the Central Jama Masjid in New Amsterdam and prominent Islamic leader, Mohamed Haniff, has expressed serious concern that corruption runs “very, very deep” in Guyana.
The religious leader, in speaking with Kaieteur News, noted that “by now everyone is aware in some way that there is corruption from the highest to the lowest”.
“The newspapers tell the story. I take my information from the newspapers and based on what they have on a daily basis, it is telling us that there is not only murder happening almost every day, but also there is rampant corruption at the highest of levels in the land. These corrupt individuals do not leave trails that easily, so prosecution may not necessarily be easy.”

“Why is there corruption? Because people are not that God-fearing and there is not enough semblance of belief that there is a continuity of life after death. Also, they are not much aware in their hearts that we will all be accountable to God on the Day of Judgment for our actions in this world. If they were, they would not do, or would think twice before doing such things.”
“Running behind wealth is the source of all evil today. There is a greedy accumulation of wealth among some of us. These people can ruin our society…particularly if they occupy high offices or are influential. It isn’t that we mustn’t have wealth, but when our passion for wealth has become so much that this is the sole object of our lives, we don’t care if we’ve got to kill to get it, cheat, steal, or be corrupt.”
“These people just want to acquire more and more and more and they fail to understand when they die, it has to be left just here [on earth]. I believe that the more people think about death, it is going to soften their hearts…to think about death often, regularly. It will provide better perspective. Corruption, murder and fraud will not take humans to their Creator; rather, it will jeopardize that opportunity.”
The Imam called on all those who are leaders in various positions to know that they will be held accountable and “if they are guilty of mismanagement and corruption, they will be answerable, regardless of who is President, Prime Minister, Minister or whatever, all will be humbled on the Day of Judgment”.
He opined that there is a lack of “quality” people in positions.
“When I speak of quality, it is pertaining to conduct, character and integrity. A new generation needs to emerge to be people of better conduct, manners and character. Those qualities have declined significantly today compared to long ago and standards have fallen. We need to arrest those situations and introduce a new breed of people. Some system has to be implemented in the schools from the lowest levels, where children can be groomed and prepared to practice good behaviour and ethics.
Psychologists and social scientists, he added, believe crime and murder in today’s societies are as a result of poverty. Haniff begs to differ.
“I personally believe that is an insult to poor people. If you are going to tell me I am poor and that is going to make me a criminal to murder and steal, it is an insult. My belief is that people have moved away and have alienated themselves from the Creator, and it is because of people’s failure to worship God, this is responsible for the position we are in.”
Persons today, he reiterated, are “hardly God-fearing and God-conscious” and therefore cannot “stay on course”.
“Many religious men of the past were poor… like Jesus and Mohammad, as well as disciples, but they never resorted to crime. Crime is as a result of ignorance, exploitation and domination”.
He believes the clerics of all religions need to do more work in reforming their following “…and this is the only way we can have some semblance of order and eradication, to some extent, of the low standards in our country”.
“Things such as alcohol and gambling create more disorder in society. These must be eradicated completely. But then again, in a country like Guyana where gambling is legal, and alcohol is legal, we are working against the odds.”
“Everyone should strive to enhance their personal character and integrity, because this is what counts… what makes you a man; what makes you the real human being. Living in the world today— in Guyana— we can see, from top to bottom, there is a vacuum when we talk about standards of life, about character, about conduct, integrity, I personally believe that this is absent to a great degree in our country, and for young people coming up, they must be made aware that it is not only scholastic and academic achievements that count.
“What’s the purpose of reaching such high standards (academically), and your moral values and behaviour are not firm.  For example, I would never visit any service provider—say, a doctor or lawyer— if I know he is on drugs, on alcohol, or if I know his behaviour is unbecoming or he is corrupt. I am not interested in him or his services.  I look up to people with good manners and good character, and this is what is absent from our country.”

---

---