Civil Society march in protest against corruption

Dec 10, 2013 News

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… The corrupt enrich themselves at the expense of the poor – Anand Goolsarran

Scores including members of civil society and opposition politicians yesterday took to the streets in a protest march to mark “International Anti-Corruption Day.”
The march was organized by Transparency International Guyana Inc. (TIGI), and some of the organizations represented included the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and Red Thread among others.
Among those participating in yesterday’s march was staunch anti corruption advocates, Glenn Lall, Christopher Ram, Lincoln Lewis, Alliance for Change (AFC) leaders, Khemraj Ramjattan, Moses Nagamootoo, and Trevor Williams and A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Joseph Harmon among others.
The march was led by TIGI’s President, Anand Goolsarran, and Transparency Institute of Guyana directors including Frederick Collins, Gino Persaud and Esther Mc Intosh among others.
Goolsarran said that TIGI extended invitations to the President, Prime Minister Sam Hinds, Presidential Advisor Gail Teixeira, Opposition Leader David Granger, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, Public Accounts Committee Chairman, Carl Greenidge, and Alliance for Change (AFC) Leader Khemraj Ramjattan, to join in the march.
An invitation was also extended to the Private Sector Commission and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce.
He had also encouraged all Members of Parliament, non-governmental organizations, the trade union movement and the general public to participate in this day of observance.
No government official or member of the Private Sector Commission was present at yesterday’s activity.
The march commenced shortly after 10:00hrs from the Umana Yana and made its way south along High Street, into Main Street and Avenue of the Republic, then made their way to Parliament Building.
Chanting slogans such as “zero per cent corruption 100 per cent development…stop the wholesale thieving,” the march snaked its way to the Parliament Building with several police ranks keeping a close eye.
After converging at the Parliament Building for several minutes repeating their chants, the group made its way back to the Umana Yana.
Organizer of the event, TIGI’s President, Goolsarran in an invited comment told this publication that “the objective is to sensitize the public about what corruption is and how it can affect them and what they need to do”
December 9 was designated ‘International Anti-Corruption Day’ by the United Nation’s in accordance with its convention against corruption which was signed on December 9, 2003.
Guyana acceded to that convention in April 2008.
Goolsarran said, too, that he was extremely disappointed that there was no Government official present at the march.
“This has no politics in it, it is a civil society march to observe this day to recognize that there are many out there, the poor, the disadvantaged, unemployed youths, the vulnerable women and children, people living below the poverty line,” as a result of corruption.
He said, “We can only invite, we can’t force people to come…It is disappointing because it is a UN sponsored event of which Guyana is a signatory.”
Asked to convey to the layman how corruption affects them, Goolsarran simply said, “The corrupt enrich themselves at the expense of the poor.”
Harmon who was also present at the march told this publication that he took part in yesterday’s march because, “I believe that we have to make a stand, make a statement against corruption.”
According to Harmon, “Corruption eats away at the sinews of a society; it eats away at the future of a country.”
The APNU Executive said that Guyanese “must take a stand, if not for ourselves for our children…the future of this country depend on us having a corrupt free society.”
This, he said, is the reason why he was standing in solidarity with persons who are prepared to make a stand against corruption.
According to Harmon, such an event would bring to the public’s attention “the fact that corruption is eating away at the society and we have to take a stand against it.”
He said that the march represents a step in the right direction.
Lincoln Lewis, who was also a participant in the march, told this publication that corruption also represents a human rights issue and the GTUC’s platform centres on rights and the rule of law.
“If we can reduce corruption there can be better health services in this country, there can be better pay for workers, there can be better pensions.”
He asserted that corruption in its entirety is a matter that reduces development in a country, “it impacts negatively on development and that is the reason why I am here.”
Lewis said that the march sends a signal to society that people are becoming conscious of what corruption is doing and is prepared to tackle it.
AFC Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo, said that the march is an excellent way to start public demonstrations on an issue such as corruption.
“We need clean governance, corrupt free transactions and we should focus on development.”
He said that the fact that Guyana has attracted such a bad rating by Transparency International hence his presence at the march.

 

 

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