Latest update June 17th, 2026 12:40 AM
Around the world every 80 days, Guyana’s
Hard Truths by GHK Lall
(Kaieteur News) – Three parliamentary sessions in eight months; one for the budget, the other two ceremonials. But Pres. Ali propagandizes transparency. When Guyana’s most exalted house is for all practical purposes shuttered, then whither this transparency about which Dr. Ali swears? Perhaps, it’s his imitation of Phineas Fogg from Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days. The math is flawless: Guyana’s parliamentary world opens its doors, embarks on motions of discussion, and drifts through the turbulences of dissection and debate. Fitting for a democracy, and done once every 80 days. A medal for Excellency Ali, who has outdone himself as Dr. Transparency, guarantor of parliamentary democracy, and keeper of the flame re accountability.
How can one hold a president who has done so little, despite having so much? Whither the accountability on which Ali cut his eyetooth? Whither when the vaunted Audit Office struggles with its management circle, with its relationships, with doing the best job for Guyana, given its skills, and the layers that its people have to peel back, peer under? Whither accountability when Audit Office work is blander than white bread, looks mildewed, smells rancid? Explains why parliamentary oversight committees are held in a state of prolonged suspension. Thus, the nation is not informed of the quality of the work coming out of their Audit Office. What was looked at, how much energy was put in, how deep the probing, and how many public service scoundrels feasted on Guyanese taxpayers’ billions during the 2020-2025 period. I congratulate the PPP Govt. for having governance down to a scientific formula: keep parliament’s door closed. Keep the Audit Office properly peopled. Keep guaranteeing sensitive jobs done a particular way. (Or not at all). Keep the committees (public accounts one stands out) hanging. So, there’s the stagnating of its work, and Guyanese uniformed about how their money has been used or misused, who did the inexplicable, and who is getting away with murdering taxpayers. And who is covering for whom.
Meanwhile, Pres. Ali delights himself with readying to take control of the capital city. His government made it into garbage city and distress city through several crippling measures, while shouting corruption and incompetence. There are national issues involving national budget billions and national standards that the PPP Govt. cannot (or refuses to) get done. But Pres. Ali is prioritizing taking control of Georgetown and concretizing his government’s ambition for total control. Democracy and transparency hollered, on the one hand; with secrets, camouflages, and subterfuges dominating, on the other.
The president has gotten better at deflecting. A neighbor’s brooch caught his eye, and it provided the perfect opportunity to distract the nation from the rottenness of PPP governance. He has done enough to earn the twin distinctions of Master of Deflection and Master Distractor.
Labour Day provided an opening for the president to cavort with handpicked workers, and chortle about how much the PPP cares for them. His government has a supply of soothing stats about how much has been given, doled out, and handed over to Guyanese workers. But there are no stats from him on how many Guyanese are hungry and exist around the poverty line. Pres. Ali keeps a safe distance from the US$2 billion GTE circus. Surprising from a man who never saw a circus act that he didn’t like to practice. He washes his hands, and holds his nose, when gushing about transparency, while there is negligible access to information; and of accountability there are only bells that toll its death. It calls for a special leader to stand in a disaster zone and say all is well. This is normal. What’s the problem? Attorney and accountant, Chris Ram highlighted resource curse and Dutch Disease. I focus on governance curse and what’s now the Guyana Disease. Those who never heard of it, just did. Leadership sickness. Instead of a one-track economy, there’s a one-track mind (control and shutdown or shutout). If there’s no other evidence of transparency of intentions, of effort, that is.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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