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I will not accept attacks on my integrity

Dec 05, 2015 Letters

Dear Editor,
An article published on page 4 of your newspaper of Tuesday 2′ December, 2015 under the caption ‘PPP castigates Ministry of Citizenship’ (Kaieteur News).The PPP, through its General Secretary, seems inclined to be the advocate of the Registrar General who has been sent on leave for administrative reasons. It seems that the idea being posited is that she has been wronged by this administration.
Let me say from the outset that employees at all levels in the Public Service structure are subject to its rules and regulations. The General Registrar reports to the subject Minister and is expected to follow instruction from same. There is a reason these structures are in place: to ensure the smooth functioning of our complex bureaucratic system. Without them chaos is the likely result, and our ability to perform our duties would be stymied with no clear line of communication.
In this particular instance, it was the Registrar General who raised an issue with the Minister and he instructed her not to proceed in the direction she outlined. She was directed on the course of action to follow. This Officer then acted contrary to the Minister’s instructions and as a consequence she was sent on leave for the purpose of investigating whether she was in contravention of her contracted role.
It is not the purpose of the Department of Citizenship to manipulate the voters’ list as Rohee so mendaciously declares, but to “develop to its fullest potential, Guyana’s Registration and Immigration Service” quoting from my Budget speech in the National Assembly on Monday 17th August, 2015. This includes ensuring that every citizen born in this country is registered appropriately, and that every death is also so registered.
Unfortunately, it seems, the last administration did not deem this to be a priority and there were with several instances found of persons being registered multiple times under different names. I find it manipulative and duplicitous to suggest that what seems to have been your modus operandi you should now suggest to be this administration’s way of doing business. We would not countenance any suggestion that our intentions are anything but that which admits to the fullest scrutiny. Please let this administration do the job which you so flagrantly failed to perform in all of your 23 years.
In reference again to the matter of the Registrar General, Rohee’s reference to her “competence and worth” must be viewed through the prism of flawless character and integrity that represents the construct of any public servant committed to the process of representation of our people. I would also ask the question of how this woman of ‘competence and worth’ would have acquired her position. Was the vacancy publicized, were there other applicants to compete for the position and was she most qualified applicant? There is more to the mortar than the pestle. I will ask what circumstance would have given this woman the position in which she now sits. I prefer to let sleeping dogs lie.
What I will not accept is the PPP/C attacking my character or my role as Minister of Citizenship. I have always been forthright and will not countenance anyone maligning my integrity. I have never contravened the attitudes of good behavior in the discharge of my public office and I am willing to be subject to any scrutiny in this regard. I trust that the PPP/C will see it fit to take the stick out of their own eyes before they try to look into mine.
Winston Felix
Minister of Citizenship

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