INTEGRITY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE

Aug 20, 2018 Editorial

Recent events involving some members of the government, particularly in the procurement process and the parking lot fiasco have highlighted poor behaviour and the need for enforcing a code of ethics.
The coalition government is only as good as the people who are entrusted with the power to govern the nation. And those in authority are only as good as their competence, integrity and willingness to do their best.
This edict is as old as the existence of humanity and should be recognised by people who are selected to serve as members of the cabinet and on the board of directors of public entities.
Based on this premise, people expect only the best from the most qualified persons selected to manage the affairs of the state. In this context, suitably qualified persons mean those who are highly qualified and with the relevant professional training and appropriate experience to run the country.
Their integrity must be beyond question and due diligence must include screening and background checks before any appointment is made. But in Guyana and in other countries, this may not be the case.
Appointments of this nature are usually the prerogative of the Head of State and those who are appointed must bear full responsibility for their conduct and the policies they implement.
However, politicians often see these appointments as rewards for party supporters and friends and in some cases, relatives. Such a flawed process can only be corrected by an impartial body to oversee the appointees in order to weed out unqualified political cronies and friends.
This type of transparency is necessary to restore public confidence and trust in the system and to ensure good governance.
That said, with Guyana having such a small population, it is difficult to find qualified and suitable persons to fill all the top positions in the country. This is why training is important and so too is the recruitment of qualified Guyanese nationals abroad. When all is said and done, most, if not all government departments and public agencies are corrupt, due mainly to the lack of integrity by public officials as was the case in the last administration.
Integrity is the rarest of commodities and it is something that money cannot buy. Needless to say, corruption also exists in this government, but to a lesser extent. While there is no substitute for integrity, it is believed that proper training should help reduce the level of corruption and incompetence that exist today.
The lack of integrity and the culture of corruption it breeds have become endemic in Guyana. In the past, there was a high tolerance for dishonesty and corruption by some in the last administration. In fact, there seemed to be a license to do anything to satisfy a need, including criminal activities and violence to others.
But it is not need alone that drives corruption, it is often a feeling that the treasury and the country’s resources belong to the ruling elite of the time. The acceptable school of thought at the time was that the end justifies the means.
It was not the hungry or poor youth who stole from his neighbor of from someone in the street that has fueled corruption, it was the wealthy and powerful who were driven by greed. However, in the last three years since this government came to power, there has been less tolerance for corruption and dishonesty.
Integrity is virtue; it is the most important trait of leadership in our society because regardless of what other beneficial characteristics exist, people will not follow leaders unless they have integrity and have established trust with them. Success will come and go, but integrity is forever.
It takes years to build a reputation of integrity, but it takes only a second to lose it. Integrity means doing the right thing at all times and in all circumstances, no matter what the consequences may be. Mark Twain once said: “Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”

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