An abuse of state resources

Oct 14, 2017 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

The PNCR will attract a new wave of criticism. It will now be accused of practicing the same perverted political culture which led this nation into the dark tunnels of despair.
The PNCR is now challenged to demonstrate that it is not the same PNC which once flew the party flag over the Court of Appeal. It will be hard pressed to prove that it is a changed party, at least in relation to blurring the lines of division between the government and the party.
The decision to host a party activity – the distribution of bursaries to students – at State House, demonstrates that the PNCR is continuing with its old habit of abusing state resources. This decision to host the party activity at State House must not be seen as a mistake. It is not the only example where the line between party and government is not clear.
The event cannot now be designated as a government event. The bursary programme is being run by party personnel. Previous bursaries were distributed at Congress Place.
One government Minister has offered the shameless excuse that the event was held at State House because it was convenient to do so. But why could it not have been held, as in the past, at Congress Place, or in some other facility for which rent had to be paid?
The President’s judgment in allowing this event to be held at his “convenience” at State House will be called into question. It represents yet another error in judgment by the Head of State.
The PNCR should be setting a better example. It was critical in the past about what it said was the PPPC’s abuse of state resources. Yet, it is doing no different by allowing a party event to be held at State House.
For a party still attempting to exorcise the ghosts of a party paramount, when the ideology of the PNC made no distinction between party functions and state functions, this action represents a grave misstep.
The footage of the event showed on local television revealed that public officials, including camera personnel, who are paid by the State, were involved in the event. The fact that the event was held at State House would have ostensibly meant that state employees would have had some role in arranging the activity.
But it is not the first and only indiscretion which involved the Ministry of the Presidency. The webpage of the Ministry of the Presidency carried a report on the 60th anniversary of the PNCR. The report was an original report which was not attributed to the party and therefore raises the question as to whether the media outfit, which falls under the Ministry of the Presidency and which is paid by taxpayers, was covering a party event.
Another indiscretion which is being committed, is that the editor of the New Nation, the official organ of the People’s National Congress Reform, is also the head of the President’s press division. This is not a good precedent, because it raises concerns about whether party work is being done on government time.
It may well be that the editing of the New Nation is being done after working hours, but the proper way to deal with such conflicts is for the two positions to be independent. In other words, the editor of the New Nation should be different from the head of the President’s press department.
The PPPC was notorious for using State House for party events. This was criticized as abuse. The PNCR should not be doing the same. If it was wrong for the PPPC to do so, it has to be wrong for the PNCR.
Guyanese voted for change. They voted for an end to this type of abuse. But what sort of change has been had? If State House can be used to host a bursary awards ceremony associated with the ruling party, then what is to prevent government resources from being used for political campaigning?

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One thought on “An abuse of state resources”

bl_666 October 14, 2017 at 3:39 pm

Every time you think Guyana’s politricksians have reached rock bottom, they never fail to prove you wrong.

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