Evidence of corruption needed? Try these

Aug 18, 2022 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Ongoing postures in corruption tradecraft compress to ‘produce the evidence’ since hearsay and perceptions mean little.  I sense smirks and haughtiness reminiscent of ‘catch if you can….’while knowing hanky-panky proliferates.  Smug partisans love throwing ‘show the evidence’ into the teeth of claims about corruption.  The PNC does it, the PPP does so more skillfully.  Though countless Guyanese abandon reasoning when political loyalty stirs, I furnish freewheeling environmental evidence that supports the existence of chronic corruptions throughout this society.  These include almost everyone: public servants, private sector, parliament, political backrooms; plus, little guys scrambling to narrow cost-of-living gap(s).

Meanwhile, evidence is visible phantom: national budget (private influencers); confidentiality shelters (tricky concealment); whistleblower reminders (speaking has peril).  Those thread Guyana’s corruption fabric.  The evidence challenges of corruption defenders-leadership denials, wagon circlers, social media boosters-represent the beguiling. Who knows?  Who knows what?  Who bears watching?  In contrast, how to expose safely?  Who is reliable go-to person or agency?  Who is untainted, powerful enough, to be undeterred in exposing financial chicanery, giving Guyanese justice?

The police are out.  No credibility. It’s downhill from that disastrous beginning. Very few jurists inspire regard. Senior public servants are problem, not solution – too dependent on political leaders for their existence.  Ombudsmen and Ethics Officers lack muscle, and commissions command scant regard for escalation due to conclusions about them being creatures of unclean leading political operators.  Obviously, massive areas for intel sharing are eliminated because of zero trust, great fear.  Guyanese are in this harrowing place because of the acute failures of presidents, ministers, religious ministers (bias), and learning lessons from the fate of others.  Everywhere there is stark fear in this North Korean-East German-Red Chinese silent, survivalist society.

Sections of the media generate confidence.  None touches State media, or politically inclined ‘independent’ media?  The perceptions of clean servants are put head down, know nothing, assure continuity; if not the private sector (patented leprosy) and overseas beckon as remaining options, if accessible.  This is part one of what uncompromised untouched Guyanese face.  Then there is the battleground.

We had informer George Bacchus: dispatched.  We had diligent Alicia Foster and Lavoy Taljit –both vanquished.  We had surveillance evidence disappear, doctored; possible interceptions re the Main Street murder neglected.  Orders possibly.  Likely very senior. Still, the devious and ethically shortchanged say present evidence to police; investigate; the police are trouble. There were Maurice Arjoon and Kent Vincent of NBS, with politics involved; one man, one name, one power besmirched most developments directly or tangentially.  Look at his cronies; study the man himself.  Absorb this, resident US security people withhold intel from locals, since sold to intended targets via political and police hands.

Further, there is the Protective Disclosures Act. The adventurous can test its robustness. I should trust AG Chambers, Audit Office, CoP, OPR, PCA; all suffer from deficiencies.  If no confidence in those offices, then where, to whom, and for what?  Stabroek News recommends disclosing to President or Home Affairs Minister. I trash this recommendation. The minister may be marginally better, lighter shade of darkness.  This is how thoroughly bad things are.

Maybe the Chief Justice or US Embassy, depending on issue and access.  Tenders are shams with the inexplicable frequent.  There are findings of massive fraud with fuel, but no action.  Want evidence, there is evidence.  Circumstantial.  Connect dots.  Mocks those slippery people, slipperier postures about produce evidence. Moreover, why this incorruptible PPP Government brought back so many tarnished exiles for high offices?  Known taints.  Those needing evidence, take those. Cease pretending at appalling ignorance, self-inflicted dumbness.

Instead of President cleaning house at State agencies, he is mending fences.  He should be ousting wrongdoers and deceivers.  This farcical peacemaking route raises the issues of who is being protected, and it is the whole kit and caboodle of conspiring corrupters, who function as screeners and collectors for politicians.  These are the layered interlocking segments and circles that nurture chronic corruptions at every level in every sphere by almost everybody.  Including those who claim to be against it, or are untouched by it themselves.  They lie.  Flat out lie.   Army, sugar, oil, Chinese, same story. Speak against one and Iron Curtains rise; object, protect, collect.  Evidence needed?  I give sketch, zip file.  Where there is smoke…

 

Sincerely,

GHK Lall

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