Those appointments leave some questions

Dec 19, 2018 Letters

Editor,

I refer to your report of December 13, 2018 entitled “No interest in top post at Finance Ministry -Finance Secretary, deputy hired”.
It was reported therein that the vacancy for the position of Deputy Finance Secretary was advertised in two newspapers, the Stabroek News and the Guyana Chronicle. It is public knowledge that Kaieteur News is the most circulated local newspaper.
The Ministry of Finance may therefore wish to explain why it opted not to advertise the post in this newspaper given its popular circulation and which would have allowed the advertisement to be seen by more prospective candidates.
The report also stated that the response to the vacancy for Deputy Finance Secretary was very competitive and that persons were interviewed by a panel of persons. It did not however list the names of the persons on the panel in order for the public to judge whether the panel was balanced.
How then is the public to be satisfied that the process was fully fair and that those shortlisted emerged from such a process?
In respect to the position of Finance Secretary, it was simply stated that this appointment was made by the President. In other words, the person was handpicked. But on whose recommendation and how was this recommendation arrived at? Did the President know the individual personally or was his name chosen based on recommendations made, and if so, by whom?
The Fiscal Management and Accountability Act does not mandate that the President has to appoint the Finance Secretary and therefore there was no barrier to a competitive process to this most important position within the Ministry of Finance. Why were applications not invited for this position?
The article makes only fleeting reference to the experience of the Deputy Finance Secretary. It says that he is not unknown within the private sector. But are this individual and his superior, the Finance Secretary, considered versed in government accounting procedures? Just asking!

Name withheld

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