We cannot rid ourselves of corruption until we rid ourselves of political patronage

May 20, 2020 Letters

Dear Editor,

I have examined politics in Guyana and notice corruption is rampant regardless of which party is in government. Politicians who have serious allegations of corruption often have a huge margin of victory in election following the scandal. I formulated a hypothesis that it is because of political patronage and not based on the politician’s performance for national development.

I have seen a list of over a hundred voters who get regular payment from a particular politician. I also received information of a politician who was paying the rent of a voter. So it does not matter what politicians do to the nation as long as they patronize their voters, they will win elections.

As a country, Guyana must address political patronage or corruption will remain rampant. We either have a social safety net for the poor or create employment for the lower socioeconomic population. It is not that politicians who are successful in electoral politics are doing an awesome job but that they are good at political patronage of their political constituent. People who vote for politician who are known to be corrupt are accomplices, although circumstances might encourage it.

Yours truly,
Brian E Plummer