Government corruption uncovered!

Sep 09, 2012 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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What is corruption? Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain.
It means that:
·    Decisions are taken for private interest instead of for public benefit.
·    Democratic institutions are weakened and legitimacy, public trust and support are lost.
·    Instead of fair competition based on price, quality and innovation, competitive bribery thrives. This harms trade and deters investments.
·    The environment is threatened – when environmental protection agencies are corrupt, the very foundations of sustainable development are eroded.
·    Human rights abuses flourish – as corruption increases, regimes become more secretive, and basic social and economic rights are threatened.
·    It becomes impossible for millions of people, especially in developing countries, to earn an honest living.
Many persons have asked why the Alliance For Change is participating in a debate series on corruption that is being hosted by the government-controlled National Communications Network. The answer is simple, when truth is on your side you have nothing to fear.
The debate series offered the AFC an opportunity to do several things – demonstrate that we were not the type to be intimidated by overwhelming odds and that we have width and depth in the party by fielding different representatives.
At the first debate; the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project and claims of corruption, AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan brought up the issue of contracts that are awarded to persons with no experience and he gave the road-building contract to ‘Fip’ Motilall as an example. Neither the government ministers, nor the technical expert and civil society representative, could give a plausible explanation as to why a multi-million-dollar road building contract was given to Motilall, who had never built a road in his life.
In the second debate – Marriott Hotel and corruption claims – an interesting point was made by Mr. Ramjattan; why is Marriott not investing its own money in the construction of this project if indeed it is as feasible as the government would want us to believe? The ministers of government and others on the panel failed to provide a plausible answer.
The debate on CJIA Expansion Project and corruption saw several startling revelations – no need for an Environmental Impact Assessment, the government was planning to relocate the residents, the fact that the government was aware since 1994 that they would be expanding the airport yet it still proceeded not only to encourage citizens to reside there, but undertook to regularize their occupation.
Shortly after the debate, residents of  Timehri North held a press conference where they said that was the first they had heard of relocation.
Then there was the President’s pension and corruption debate –  the government ministers are yet to tell AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes where prime ocean front property can be bought below market value and at the price paid by the former president Bharrat Jagdeo.
Subsequent coverage in the media highlighted the grandiose lifestyle the former President intends to enjoy, all at the expense of poor taxpayers whose tax dollar will be used to staff his palatial home.
Also, a most revealing statement came from Dr.Nanda Gopaul who, in the most bold-face manner said, “What is wrong with a former president or a president seeking to ensure that he lives a comfortable life after his presidency? Especially because we have term limits, knowing full well that you are going to demit office, you must ensure that you look for your future. We must not go from a president to rags,” That statement clearly revealed how the PPP/C government views the Office of the President and also indicates their general belief that it is okay to use one’s office to enrich oneself.
AFC’s General Secretary David Patterson had the government ministers up in arms when he quoted from the records of the Public Accounts Committee to reveal that the PPP/C never, during the last Parliament, named its representatives to the Public Procurement Commission, thus effectively making it impossible for the Commission to be enacted. The technical expert was left to fumble his way around to explain why the Constitution of Guyana, where it provides for a Public Procurement Commission, was not being honoured.
During the 2011 Elections campaign period, the issue of corruption was at the top of the list of things Guyanese are dissatisfied with. Everywhere the AFC went, people were complaining about the manner in which contracts were being awarded, not getting value for money when projects were being done and the blatant disregard by government officials to provide information.

Belief that most government officials were involved in some level of corruption was probably the single-most factor that caused the electorate to vote against the PPP/C and thereby caused the turning point in Guyana politics.
The Auditor General’s most recent report identified a gamut of financial discrepancies and instances of non-accountability that contravene financial management practices. This has been the case of many reports before. Yet, even though these infractions continue to be identified, many government ministries and agencies fail to take corrective measures. It seems that the officials in these ministries and agencies have no regard for the Auditor General’s recommendations and are determined, year after year, to continue with their bad practices. This is an insult to the work of the Auditor General’s Office and contemptuous of taxpayers, whose money it is, that is not being properly accounted for.
Secret deals
The veil of secrecy that the Jagdeo administration employed in many of its dealings with local, regional and international companies is fast unraveling to reveal misinformation, half-truths, lies and damn lies. These companies, some with international reputations to preserve, have been providing details that are in direct contradiction to what the PPP/C government officials are saying.

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