A toothless Integrity Commission

Dec 09, 2019 Editorial

If the intention is to squeeze the life out of a living organism, then all that one has to do is to shut off the oxygen supply. It is done quickly and powerfully with a view to bring a terminal stage within a matter of torturous minutes, if not gurgling final seconds. On the other hand, if the objective is to obtain the same final result more stealthily, less loudly and publicly, there is no better way than to do things slowly and quietly, but no less remorselessly. And the latter is precisely what has been the sorry and forlorn experience of Guyana’s Integrity Commission.
The local Integrity Commission has it all, with everything going for it, inclusive of the backing of the law (the usual paper), the support of political people on both sides (another example of a skillful sales jobs), and a group of people at the helm, with whom one would have difficulty finding fault with for presence and role in this specific instance (well, not quite all of them, but enough in whom to have some confidence). The Integrity Commission seems to have a vision, complete with a program of objectives and actions and the corresponding strategies, as well as the acumen necessary to go about its business and justify its existence.
At this point, the question has to be asked: with all of these things already in hand, why does it have a problem delivering, and why does it keep making the news for the wrong reasons? That would be reasons such as failure to apply the boot to what is gently called delinquent public officers. Meaning those who fail to comply with its expectations, ignore its deadlines, and dismiss its reminders. The problem with the Integrity Commission is that it has almost everything, and what it is missing is one of the biggest, most sensitive, and arguably most meaningful (aside from honorable people) ingredients. That would be money.
Since it lacks money, and enough of it to do its work to the fullest and make a measurable difference-an urgently needed difference-in the official debaucheries that are now an inseparable part of Guyanese culture, its goose is cooked. It cannot function at the optimum level desired. And that may be just what is found desirable in many obstinate and calculating quarters in official public service Guyana. If it can’t do its work with some teeth, then that is just fine. And if that is the comfortable and approved norm from over its head, then the Integrity Commission might just as well close up shop, mention something that it was nice while it lasted, and call it a day.
If the Integrity Commission is going to be starved of vital funds, then it is time to bring an end to the charade about accountability and all the rest and put the thing out of its trials. That is the view of this paper. Stop playing these half-witted games and stop fooling around with the heads of Guyanese. Just close the thing down, and let there be business as usual, which means the regular free-for-all and inexplicable lifestyles and mysterious asset bases. And while we are at it, let us not forget the usual thumb in the eye and spitting in the face of the Guyanese taxpayer by unheeding Guyanese public servants.
This paper is compelled to this position because the Guyana government of today is doing what governments do every day, through the tried and trusted. Serious sounding laws are put into place, a mostly sound body of men and women are assembled, some solemn speeches are made at the inception, the derivative rules and regulations are formalized, and when the realization comes that shrapnel could hit the ceiling, then there is shrinking. And the best way to do so is to shrink the funding. Reagan and Bush did it there and the Granger government is doing it here right now.
It’s a simple matter really: manage the money and manage the results. Everybody is happy, except the watchdogs and taxpayers led down the garden path again. Cheating public officials get to crow in the continuing pappy show and the government smartly pats itself on the back.

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