PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar, last evening, called for Transparency International to act in a transparent manner and release the basis of their recent designation of Guyana on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI).

“This is a product not based in fact, but engineered,” he said.

He was delivering remarks at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce (GCCI) annual gala and awards ceremony.
In the report, released earlier this week, Guyana dropped lower on the index, from 116 last year to 134 out of a total of 178 countries. According to the report, the index scores 183 countries and territories from zero (highly corrupt) to 10 (very clean) based on perceived levels of public sector corruption. It uses data from 17 surveys that look at factors such as enforcement of anti-corruption laws, access to information and conflicts of interest. Guyana is rated at a lowly 2.5.
Mr. Ramotar called on Transparency International to release the surveys which the rating was based on, the source of information, the duration of the surveys and the staff involved in compiling the data.
He referenced the fact that Transparency International officials have publicly criticised the current administration recently on incidents of perceived conflicts of interest, but noted that the staffers involved in the survey are known affiliates of opposition factions.
The Head of State stressed the fact that the government under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is the body that has ensured the tabling of the Auditor General’s report in the National Assembly after years of absence and is the one that pushed for open bidding in awards of contracts.
According to him, the PPP/C government has made a transformation in promoting transparency, and in some regards has done better than developed countries.

UNPATRIOTIC
President Ramotar told the gathering of private sector stakeholders that his government has moved to retable the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT)Bill in Parliament.
According to him, non-support of the bill a second time would be unpatriotic.
He addressed the Alliance For Change’s (AFC) call for the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission to be a pre-requisite for the party’s support of the Bill and made it clear that support of the Bill should be “unconditional,” particularly given its importance.

Ramotar stressed that his government is “ready now” to set up the Commission, but has some concerns, in particular the effort being made under the legislation to remove Cabinet’s ‘no objection’ to contracts.
He made it clear that if the government is to be held accountable for spending, it must be able to have a say.
The President pointed out that nowhere in the Caribbean is a Cabinet’s role in the award of contracts at such a minimum, as it is in Guyana.
He underscored the fact that if the Commission is to be an oversight body it must have something to oversee, which is the accountability of the government in spending as it relates to contracts.
Ramotar repeated his call for the public good to be placed above politics for the AML/CFT Bill to be passed.
“The Anti-Money Laundering Bill affects us all,” the President stressed.
He acknowledged the effects of the warning by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) to its members to “consider implementing counter measures to their financial systems from the ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks” emanating from Guyana.
The French-based Financial Action Task Force is expected to hold a review in February review, which Guyana could be included in, following CFATF’s designation of Guyana as a country with strategic anti-money laundering and countering the financing terrorism deficiencies that has not made sufficient progress in addressing the deficiencies and have not complied with its Action Plan developed with CFATF to address these deficiencies.
CFATF itself is expected to review Guyana’s position in May 2014 at its next meeting.
“The consequences of its non-passage are too difficult to contemplate,” Ramotar said.

ATTACKS

The President took the opportunity to spotlight the attacks being made on the government with respect to development and made it clear that these are also an attack on the private sector.
According to him, one is “hard-pressed” to believe that it is “not” an effort being made by opposition factions to stymie the development of the country, particularly since the projects “under attack” have “transformational” impacts for Guyana.
He maintained that his Government will do what is best for the country and move forward as best they can with various projects.
“We did not spend $30M for a road to nowhere,” he said referencing the road to the Amaila Falls hydro-power site, “We will build Amaila.”
Ramotar stated that his government will resist the negativity being spewed by different opposition factions and word to ensure the continued development of the country, so that Guyana can realize its fullest potential – an effort that the partnership of the private sector is key to advancing.
The Head of State stressed the need for maturity in moving forward, for the good of the nation.
Written By Vanessa Narine