A LOT DEPENDS ON THE STATE ASSET RECOVERY UNIT

Dec 14, 2015 Editorial

There is no smaller version of the massive corruption anywhere in the Caribbean than what took place in Guyana under the former administration. What has happened in Guyana in those years should not have happened, but apparently the Opposition was weak and the people were afraid to speak up for fear of victimization.
The nation was ruled by a group of greedy, selfish and vindictive politicians who used a form of suppression to control them and who have deliberately ignored the rules of accountability and transparency in order to steal and plunder the nation’s wealth.
The Jagdeo and Ramotar administrations had constantly pulled wool over the eyes of the people for more than a decade. After earning billions of dollars from rice, sugar, bauxite, gold and other resources, the country has very little to show for it except for a group of overnight millionaires.
As Guyana approaches its 50th Independence Anniversary, there will be celebrations galore, but the nation must be reminded of its debt which is at 65 percent of GDP, its economy which is stalling and many of the citizens who are living in poverty and have to resort to crime for survival.
With all the country’s wealth and richness in natural resources, poverty should have already been eliminated and most of the people should have been living a happy and contented life.
Instead, many are still struggling to put food on the table, others are living in fear of losing their lives and are afraid to walk the streets at night because of the high crime rate that has engulfed the entire country. There are several armed robbers and murderers roaming the streets mingling with the people without any hindrance.
In spite of its wealth, Guyana still lacks many essential basic amenities such as potable drinking water, especially in the rural areas, blackouts are still frequent and good paying jobs are scarce.
The educational and medical facilities are lagging way behind, roads are falling apart, street-lighting is bad and crime, especially armed robbery and murders, is rampant. Traffic accidents and deaths have skyrocketed and there is no policy in place to end or reduce it.
The previous administration had maintained an almost useless police hierarchy, which protects the rich and upper classes and were bent on making the youths and the ordinary citizens into criminals in order to satisfy the elite.
However, President Granger, upon assuming office on May 18, saw the unfair treatment meted out to youths by the former administration and has pardoned 60 of them who were incarcerated for minor offences, in order to give them a second chance at life. On a population ratio basis, Guyana probably is at the top of the list among its Caribbean neighbours for incarceration of its youths on frivolous charges.
However, in terms of corruption and the recovery of stolen state assets, a lot depends on the Asset Recovery Unit (SARU), including retired army major, Aubrey Retemyer, who with his team, has done an excellent job so far.
SARU has recommended criminal charges against a former President and some Ex-Ministers for illegally using G$257M of the taxpayers’ money to develop several acres of land at Pradoville Two for their personnel use without the approval of Parliament. This bombshell report has brought SARU to the spotlight.
As if that was not enough, SARU has obtained the services of Fraud Net, a Paris based international network of lawyers and specialists to assist in the recovery of the billions of dollars of stolen state funds, which were reportedly placed in foreign banks by public officials.
It is also receiving assistance from the Britain and the US to trace the money laundering scheme that allegedly took place under the last government. SARU’s work is impressive and going forward, the nation is hoping that new legislation would enable SARU to prosecute those who allegedly stole from the state. As President Granger said, those who commit the crime must do the time. SARU will provide the justice the people yearned.

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