Identifying corruption

May 04, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
Widespread corruption threatens human survival in this country and Guyanese have reacted principally by escaping through two routes: suicide and emigration. Of course, our consistently high suicide rankings and the steady and permanent movement of Guyanese out of this country are testaments to this claim.
Moreover, it would be clueless not to think of such a destructive problem as the main driver to our soaring poverty and human misery in this country. A close look at the life of our seniors, including my 85-year-old auntie, reveals that they can barely afford food.
Many survive on a diet of mainly boiled rice and tap water. And they also complained that even though they desperately need medical attention, they are hesitant to seek help from our hospitals which offer ghastly medical care.

And, similar to our prime minister, our seniors also hold no confidence in our health care system. But unlike our prime minister who recently jetted off to the U.S.A. to access high-quality medical care on our tax dollars, our seniors are deprived of such privileges. Clearly, our government refuses to treat every life as equal. It fails to provide its people with the same opportunities it enjoys. This is inequality. This is immoral. This is cruel. And this needs to be urgently addressed.
Corruption by the APNU/PNC/AFC government has also severely impacted our youths, particularly those that live in communities which do not vote APNU (PNC). Sadly, although our youths are in desperate need, they are deprived of equal access to jobs, scholarships and various opportunities which our government ministers and political backers enjoy.
It is common knowledge that Government doles out boundless opportunities for its ministers. Many hold full-time ministerial positions and at the same time they also attend universities abroad on full government scholarships.
Absolutely, these stories highlight how a small circle of people drains this country while the majority suffers. Guyana has been plagued with such cases of corruption and inequality but yet we act surprise about the abnormal suicide rate. The APNU/PNC/AFC government needs to be held accountable. No one is above the law.
But recently in an unethical move, the Director of Public Persecutions (DPP) collaborated with government to toss several viable cases of corruption which involve government ministers. One such case highlights how Government squanders huge sums of money to rent a shady drug bond from an alleged political donor at a huge sum of roughly $20 million per month.
This translates to roughly over 200 fold above the current market value. This is unconscionable, especially when human beings are forced to live without the basics that are necessary to sustain life. Naturally, stories like these inject fear and raise concerns about whether Guyanese will ever see a free and fair election under this government.
Of course free speech is a powerful weapon that enables us to raise our voice against corruption. But government recently moved ahead with an authoritarian and an undemocratic cyber-crime bill which aims to shut down free speech.
To this end, we must kill this Bill in its current format so as to fight corruption and improve lives while developing our country. And last but not least, we are particularly grateful when members of our diplomatic community strengthen our voice against corruption by their firm stance against such a destructive issue.
Sincerely,
Annie Baliram

Editor’s note: This letter contains exaggerations and distortions. We would normally decline to publish such letters but we feel that people should sometimes be the judge of their peers.

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