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The Bharrat Jagdeo masquerade

Dec 05, 2015 Letters

Dear Editor,
The Guyana Integrity Commission Act (1997) No 20, is some 20 years old. It replaced an earlier Act of 1991. Mr. Samuel Hinds assented to the Act as President. However, we are reading for the umpteen time (e.g Stabroek News, November 29, 2015), Mr. Jagdeo talking about declaring his assets, if and only if! Credibility is the only issue. First Mr. Editor, note that the Integrity Commission Act became law before Mr. Jagdeo became President of Guyana. He was Head of Cabinet from 2001 to 2011. Why therefore does he behave as though the Act became law last month? Second, the Act applies to the President. It requires that “…public officers make an annual declaration giving true and complete particulars of his /her income, assets and liabilities whether his/her own name or in that of the name of someone else’s and that of his /her spouse and child/children. A description of all assets and their value is to be given…” The Act contains the core elements of a Code of Conduct.
Third therefore, the only relevant question for Mr. Jagdeo is what is this business about others declaring their assets in tandem with him, before he does, or whatever, and others considering his proposal?  What proposal?  The Act clearly say what must happen, does it not? He was President of Guyana for more than a decade, but this is how he ran the country. Ignore the law and invent some ridiculous proposal in its pace. What was done to enforce the Integrity Commission Act (1997) other than reappointing Bishop George as Commission Chairman? Nothing!
Fourth, what years of declarations is Mr. Jagdeo referring to? Can the people trust what he has now prepared to put on the table? He was required to declare his assets since he owned property in Ogle (so called Pradoville1), and long before he owned the new property  in Sparendaam/Goedverwagting (Pradoville 2).  If he had complied, declared his assets every year and the law functioned in Guyana the people would be in no doubt today what he owns and how he got them. But what did he do?  Nothing?
So what is the purpose of a news item on Mr. Jagdeo’s lame duck proposal, whatever it is. Instead of condemning this masquerade the media seems to be encouraging him to make one ridiculous  statement after another, without regard for what the law actually required of him every year until he ended his presidency. The obligation still exists and remains, with or without a declaration by any other Parliamentarian, and he is in breach of that obligation. This is precisely the issue with him, especially on matters of accountability by public officials.  Each Member of Parliament is individually responsible under the Integrity Commission Act (1997), it has nothing to do with what others fail to do. In the civilian context, when a civilian is in breach of regulations, civil or otherwise, the court does not wait to find out who else is in breach of the same, it simply imposes the appropriate sanction on that individual.
Fifth, Mr. Jagdeo’s antics are nothing short of an outlandish public masquerade by a person whose trustworthiness and credibility are shorter than the sixth letter of his surname. No degree of failure by any other Parliamentarian is an excuse for his failure to declare. Since when each person can pick and choose the conditions under which he/she will comply with regulations. If this happens one can almost guarantee that no change will ever come to Guyana.
Sixth, the real problem Mr. Editor is that the mechanism to enforce and take action against Mr. Jagdeo and other Parliamentarians who are in breach is as feckless as the policy.  Therefore, why is the media wasting time to report on Mr. Jagdeo’s masquerade?  Go back in time and read the articles in Stabroek and Kaietur News from 1999 to present e.g Stabroek News November, 4, 2007; KN Mar 28, 2010; KN Sept 18, 2015; KN Oct 23, 2015, years after the law came into effect.
Finally Mr. Editor, if the media is serious about public accountability and a properly functioning country, it would be consistent and persistent, even relentless in demanding compliance on behalf of the citizens, not listening to meaningless words, when the law already say what must happen.
Ivor Carryl

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