Should Adams have resigned on issue of politicking?

Sep 02, 2020 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

I am in agreement with Freddie (Sept. 1) and disagree with others on the forced departure of Dr. Vincent Adams as head of EPA. I do not know Dr. Adams and am not familiar with his work and therefore cannot comment on his academic qualification, experience, and competence for the job. Innuendos were made about his management of EPA. What troubles me is his violation of ‘political neutrality’ doctrine of civil servants and his silence on electoral fraud that Freddie, KN, myself and others fought against so courageously. His departure does not mean that Exxon would not be monitored. As many feel, the oil giant should be held accountable for pollution but not $2,250 as Adams proposed. Guyanese feel it should be more like US$22.5 million, the minimal penalty in America.
I respected Adams views at EPA but was not aware that he was an executive member of the AFC and that he campaigned for the coalition thru March 2020. I did not know he was a political appointee until it was brought to light over the last few days and now by Freddie. I always thought he was hired because of his expertise in energy. I read he was an energy specialist who worked in O&G as well but he was appointed to monitor the environment — a misplacement perhaps because of politics. If he wanted to serve Guyana in energy or the environment as a professional why did he take the plunge in politics? There was no need for Adams to enter into the political fray unless he had ambition for high office. Reports state he campaigned for the coalition and spoke on political platforms. Did he want to become Petroleum Minister and put his hat in the ring on that expectation given that APNU was confident it would win the March 2 elections? Nothing is wrong with that. But once you are in politics, when your party loses, you resign. That is a world recognized and followed principle. Anyone with an ounce of integrity would immediately resign when it is announced that his party loses an election.
Adams understands the principle that follows when a government loses a no confidence motion. He was silent when his party decided to squat in office. His party stayed in office for a full fifteen months before invoking the principle of deciding to hold elections. And it stayed on for a further five months while attempting to rig the outcome of the election. At no time did Adams critique his colleagues for violating democratic norms between December 21, 2018 to August 2 and now September 2 (21 months). He could have rehabilitated his image between March 3 and now by simply dissociating himself from and condemning electoral fraud. So if Granger had been sworn in from the fraud, say on March 6 or 13 as was announced would take place, Adams would have seen no problem continuing on in his position as EPA head or accepting a position as Petroleum Minister. Don’t’ Mike McCormack and others see something wrong with this kind of behaviour? Worse, they excuse it.
Mike McCormack and the others who penned letters in support of Adams retaining his position as EPA head are wrong. On account of politics, Adams do not belong in a civil service position unless he dissociates from party politics. It sends a wrong message to civil servants that there would be no consequences if they engage in politicking.
When one runs for office or campaigns for their party, they immediately become political and they must resign their government appointed positions. Failing that they must be terminated.
I am also concerned about Adam’s public posturing as pointed out by one writer (KN Sep 1). From August 2018 to August 11, 2020, when his party was in office, Adams was not critical of Exxon’s behaviour in polluting the environment. Now that his party lost office, he finds it convenient to go after Exxon. That is politically duplicitous. Adams should have stayed away from politics. A non-politicized figure should be hired to head EPA now that we know how politicized the position has become.

Yours truly,
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

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