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Corruption won’t go away anytime soon

May 01, 2015 Editorial, Features / Columnists

The issue of corruption is never an easy subject to talk about, let alone to tackle, but sweeping it under the rug or refusing to deal with it condignly, would only allow it to fester like a sore wound that can then totally destroy the country.
Any fight against corruption in Guyana, despite which party is elected to office on May 11, is likely to be a titanic battle if draconian measures are not implemented to curb this plague.
There is too high an established ratio of corrupt, influential people for the fight to be easy. These individuals are in all spheres and would not want to see an end to that which makes them flourish.
Unfortunately, corrupt practices together with the official masterminds and schemers, are transferred from one administration to another at the end of every election cycle.
If any real attempts were ever made to end corruption by the incumbent government, especially in government-operated departments and agencies, this would have already been noticeable.
The lack of accountability and transparency in governance are deliberately left intact, and excuses such as ‘show me the evidence of corrupt practices’ are often made if and when any politician or public official is accused of corruption or any wrongdoing.
It is a sort of unspoken mafia-like arrangement among the well-to-do offenders and the ruling elites.
Corruption is so embedded in every aspect of our society, that even if outside experts were called in to try to end this immorality, they would have little chance of success.
A good example of this was the government’s refusal to accept the offer made by the British government a few years ago to try to reform the Guyana Police Force and, in the process, reduce or end the corrupt practices of some of its members. Corruption’s debilitating effects are felt across the country, contributing to poverty and hampering overall economic and social development. There is bribery and theft, which occurs when public servants demand payment under the table for rendering a service that is supposed to be free of cost, and when a country or a state’s budgetary resources are illegally diverted through inflated contracts that are siphoned off by policy makers, politicians and civil servants. There is the theft of the country’s natural resources, which occurs when its minerals and forestry are brazenly stolen by those in authority and illegally sold for gain, which has resulted in significant losses to the country. Theft of the country’s natural resources is carried out with the collusion of corrupt individuals, including politicians and civil servants.
Whichever party is elected on May 11, it is likely that corruption will not end soon. It will take a very long time before it is weeded out from the system and the people will continue to hear and read of more corruption from week to week, committed by those in authority and power, but who will never spend a day behind bars. And there are not enough honest and rich citizens in Guyana who are willing to throw down the gauntlet on these corrupt officials.
Furthermore, the ordinary citizens are too pre-occupied with work and other daily chores to form a united front to take the necessary action against the well-established masterminds of corruption.
Despite all the promises made in this election campaign by politicians from both parties to end corruption, it is difficult to see changes unless sweeping action is taken to halt this evil practice.
Greedy and selfish politicians will not see the urgent need to end corruption because of its benefits to them. After all, they will always put their interests and those of their party first, despite their promises to do otherwise. They are not going to cut off their noses to spoil their faces unless real pressure comes down.

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