These issues stand out and cannot be taken lightly

Aug 18, 2015 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
Having read Ralph Ramkarran’s column “Perceptions of Discrimination,” 16th July 2015 (Stabroek News), there are two issues that stand out and cannot be taken lightly since they are coming from a major opinion shaper/leader in this society. One is the perception of government’s decisions being influenced by race when treating with issues of infraction. And two, the description of Bharrat Dindyal, CEO of GPL as “one of the best and most dedicated managers in the state system.”
If Dindyal is perceived in this manner then one needs to question the quality of managers appointed by the PPP.
a. The GPL over the years has been recording approximately 33 percent loss of the power generated and under Dindyal, who was paid G$6 million per month, the loss has not been reduced. Performance has to take into consideration the optimising of the operation in its deliverance at a cost the consumer and nation can afford.
b. It was under Dindyal’s leadership that G$28 million was transferred by two GPL operatives into their personal accounts. As CEO his was the responsibility to protect the property of the organisation and the system has to be loose to allow the illegal transfer of that magnitude, which is enough proof of his failure and he should have done the decent thing and resigned.
c. On the issue of the confrontation between him and his deputy, it underscores a lack of understanding of rules and practices. In any system there cannot be different rules for different persons. It has to be one set of rules that everyone must comply with within the organisation.
d. If when an infraction of a certain nature occurs the accused is either sent on administrative leave or interdicted from duty, it has to be applied to everyone, regardless of the role played in the organisation. Any claim that the deputy overstepped his bounds by having the police called on the premise to evict the employees, must take into consideration the role Dindyal played in obstructing the course of justice by opposing the persons involved being sent on administrative leave.
e. His claim that Human Resources has to carry out that duty and the fact that he is aware of the accusations and failed to advise human resources to execute that task, brings into question his intention to respect the organisation’s procedures or to obstruct justice. If it is right to send the rank and file staff on administrative leave for an infraction, then it cannot be wrong to send the managers.
f. State institutions do not belong to those who manage them; they belong to the people of the country who through the laws, established procedures and rules, are managed in the people’s interests.
On the issue of perception of race, Ramkarran has to be careful. For it is clear while he alluded to discrimination on race, he excluded for examination that Africans have also come under the microscope. African Guyanese services were also terminated. Instructive that though he ignores this group, that he forgot PPP’s prominent Kwame McCoy and Philomena Sahoye-Shury contracts were terminated. The cases before the court on acts committed during the life of the past government are two African women, the former Minister of Public Service Dr. Jennifer Westford and the Personnel Officer Margaret Cummings of the Public Service Ministry.
Leaders in society must be careful that they do not contribute to the very thing they claim they desire an end to. No race, individual or group in a society where laws, rules and procedures are universal should enjoy immunity, preferential treatment, or think it is acceptable to commit infarction, violate laws and transgress rights. Similarly, no race, individual or group must feel that the laws, rules and procedures will only be applicable to them and not to others.
This society can only move forward in unison when all are held to the same standards and are subject to the same rules. This nation must strive to ensure this at all times.
Lincoln Lewis

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