Where are the professionals?

Jun 09, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

I have been following something for a while, but withheld public mention. The hope was that it would fade, or diminish, at least. Since the opposite has occurred, I must write; less as criticism, more by way of encouragement.
The issue is political involvement at the ministerial level in everything in every location, and almost all the time. Browse the dailies, and it is minister after minister commandeering space and attention on whatever issue is at hand. The prime practitioner of this noble art of communication, and massaging messages, is Guyana’s top media fox, the Hon. Vice President with universal portfolios, and the countless duties attached to those.
This is well and good for some, but I think it has been taken too far, and gotten away with for too long. Somebody has to say something about this state of affairs, and it may as well be yours truly. The VP and ministers should be talking about, engaged in, and immersed in the big policy matters. The execution and delivery of the programmes, projects, and putting the pieces together on those, really does fall under the duties of the cohort of public servants – whether professional or political or pretended – that is in place to oversee and administer on a day-to-day basis, and document, report, and make public accordingly. The concern is my part, which I articulate for indifferent and dispirited citizens is best presented this way: where are they? Where is this highly touted, well-paid brigade of veteran bureaucrats and newly appointed czars? By this, I speak of the senior officials, as in permanent secretaries, chief of this, and head of that ministry or state agency? It is as if they don’t exist anymore. Or have developed a case of permanent laryngitis. Or have nothing informative to offer, so they do what wise people do: they hold their tongue and bide their time. I think that most of them operate by the standard of better to hold tongue, and keep head; rather than use tongue, out of turn (as interpreted by controllers) and lose head. There has been summary judgment here with that, and the Geneva and UN Conventions do not apply in this democratic and civilised nation. I think America afforded a waiver of such rules.
Editor, I think the public (I would) like to hear more from the public service Chiefs (Education, Social Assistance, Hydraulics, Roads, Sea Defence, and so forth). Incidentally, whatever happened to that now endangered species, the Chief Medical Officer? And, is there a Chief Environmental Officer (Executive Director), even an acting one? If they are around and still breathing, please accommodate a little fellow, and send a signal to the public. I am interested. This crew of professionals should not be reduced to being benchwarmers, and nodding heads with rapturous smiles, while wondering why they are part of political performances. Last, it should be noticed that I didn’t seize the opportunity to merge ministerial photo ops and media moments with 2025 campaigning.

Sincerely,
GHK Lall

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