Integrity in public office

Apr 08, 2015 Editorial

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With the 2015 General and Regional Elections rapidly approaching, and given the fact that the various political campaigns are now in full flow, there are some issues that will not be taken lightly in terms of who will lead our country in the immediate future. And so it should be.
At City Hall yesterday, during the Nomination Day activities, the candidates spoke about the quality of their lists and emphasized to all who would listen, that the lists comprised persons of impeccable character and integrity. We believe that they are cognizant of the fact that the next administration will face unprecedented scrutiny from all quarters, given that all has not appeared to be above board in recent years. The citizenry in particular will demand much more from their leaders. It is only right that they do.
Foremost among those demands will be the issue of integrity. We all know that it is so important, yet for a number of years now, many of our arrogant administrators have managed to thrive in its absence – deliberately oblivious to its significance.
A 17th century English poet described such individuals quite accurately when he said “He who closes his ears to the views of others shows little confidence in the integrity of his own views”.
There is no doubt that integrity in public office is a matter of grave public concern, especially in these hard times when many honest, hardworking Guyanese are making extreme sacrifices to make ends meet.
The very least the public expects of public officers is that they must adhere to the highest standards of probity, accountability and social responsibility. Many persons find it deeply disturbing that our recent history has been tainted by a spate of allegations of corruption, malfeasance and conflict of interest by public officers. This troubling state of affairs has created an unusually high level of suspicion regarding the lack of integrity of public officers.
Post-May 11th, 2015, Guyanese will no doubt agitate for the full and timely enforcement of existing legal restraints on abuse of public office for personal gain. They will also press their representatives in the National Assembly to introduce new and tighter regulations if necessary.
Early in the eleventh Parliament a new, innovative, well-crafted and unambiguous Integrity in Public Office Bill must be tabled. It should include provisions for the establishment of a permanent, bi-partisan Integrity Commission with both the authority and means to preserve good faith and fair dealings in the actions of public officers. The power of this commission will definitely have to be substantially greater than that of similar entities in the past, giving it much wider scope to investigate and prosecute.
Events of the recent past have made it clear that there is dire need for an Integrity in Public Office Bill with real teeth, one that guarantees better monitoring of the actions and assets of public officers than ever before. It should be designed to send a forceful message to those who aspire to serve as public officers that they have to sacrifice some of their privacy rights in the public’s interest, especially those related to their personal finances.
Citizens who obtain public office not only play vital professional roles but also play important social and political roles which have major impacts on society. It is quite appropriate that those who seek public office, through which they lead others and influence their lives, should demonstrate exemplary leadership qualities. Primary among these should be unquestionable personal integrity. The suggested Bill would provide a strong legal structure for ensuring this.
Perhaps the best attribute of such a Bill would be its ability to prevent as well as cure. The very existence of a tangibly powerful Integrity Commission should deter abuses of public office. If it is sufficiently strong, efficient and effective, it would not only tend to keep public officers honest, but would also make corrupt persons think twice about seeking public office.
Furthermore, a well-respected Integrity Commission could be used as a consultancy agency by serving public officers who are unsure of the propriety of specific actions. They could seek the commission’s advice before awarding contracts, renting buildings, investing, accepting gifts and other issues that may be deemed suspect in the context of the contract of social responsibility inherent in holding public office.
In the social, political and economic environment of Guyana today, it is clear that there needs to be tighter regulations as well as stronger legislation to enforce zero-tolerance for skulduggery in public office.
Moreover, these deterrents should be scrutinised, modified and adapted over time, to fit the exigencies of public office as these unfold and change.

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