Need to set up tribunal for illegal use of state property

Feb 17, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
It is welcome news that the current administration is finally moving ahead with some legislation concerning the theft of state cash and property. However I feel that the State has come up short on these issues. To my mind it is going to be very difficult to prosecute offending persons in the established courts. We need to do something much more all-encompassing.
We need to set up a permanent tribunal to deal with all matters concerning illegal taking of state property. In China, quite recently a very senior official and his wife were tried by special court and given serious sentences for their parts in a heinous crime. We need to do the same here. I am suggesting the setting up of this tribunal which will comprise three judges (two coming from Caricom and the Commonwealth) and one from Guyana. Their task will be to adjudicate cases brought before them by the SARA.
The prosecutors for this tribunal will be taken from a panel of special prosecutors. These prosecutors will be chosen by the Attorney General and the DPP will have no jurisdiction over their selection or governance.
All witnesses summoned before the tribunal will be required to appear and must give evidence. Those who fail to appear must be held in contempt and dealt with according to law. To facilitate witnesses Government must put in place a program of witness protection but this notwithstanding the witnesses will still be required to appear on pain of penalty.
Unless Government sends the appropriate messages that it is prepared to deal condignly with both friend and foe in respect of the misappropriation of state assets, nothing much will be achieved.
Cyril Walker

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News