Latest update April 12th, 2026 12:50 AM
Peeping Tom right on complaints about corruption
Dear Editor,
Peeping Tom is absolutely correct in stating in “Denial can lead to delusion” (Mar 31) that the PPP’s avoidance of addressing the corruption issue is preventing the party from winning a landslide in the coming general elections.
Conversations about perception (no evidence offered to substantiate the allegations) is all-pervading even in the diaspora or Region 11 (North America and beyond). It is hurting the PPP and it also has its negative effects on the APNU-AFC alliance.
I recently travelled to Guyana and I had an earful of complaints about corruption involving members of the government and the opposition, but no evidence to support them. Last week, I was in Trinidad and Grenada, same complaint among Guyanese there – “all dem politicians corrupt, including those in the opposition’, is a common remark everywhere. But when asked if they have evidence to support the allegations, they went blank.
In New York, perception about corruption is the subject of conversation at wakes and funerals, after church service, after juma, and during bhojan time at the mandirs. The recent Navratri festival was fertile ground for conversations about Guyana’s politics and inevitably people rail against corruption excoriating both government and opposition and their roles in it.
“Dem ah only full dem pockets”; “All a dem want position to full dem pocket and nah care about the people”, are how people see politicians. Almost everyone, on both sides of the political or racial divide, wants the government to clamp down on corruption.
The Peeper is right about people’s views of the progress the country has made. In spite of their complaints of corruption, Guyanese at home and in the diaspora generally agree the country has made a lot of progress. They feel Guyana is better off today than what it was twenty years ago. However, they feel the country would have made a lot more progress if corruption were minimal or non-existent. But the people remain divided in their support of who or which party they want to win the election. They say they prefer continued progress, even if it comes with some corruption, rather than no progress, when there was also corruption under the previous regime.
On corruption, as I advised complainants, if you have evidence go to the police or the leadership of your party or the media. Those who are corrupt should be removed from their position.
And the Peeper is right, if the PPP is reformed and the perceived tainted removed or demoted, the party will boost its chances of regaining a majority. People look forward for fresh faces of people of integrity and probity in the PPP list. Because several opposition members are also fingered in corruption, as alleged to me in conversations (stress – no evidence offered), there is no electoral advantage for either side.
But as the Peeper penned, if the President were to announce he would appoint a commission to investigate or receive complaints about (from the public) corruption, the election is over. Donald Ramotar easily wins re-election, because no one pointed a finger at him and it is the one issue that has resulted in apathy in the heartland.
Vishnu Bisram
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