–for indicting all public servants as corrupt
THE General-Secretary of the ruling PPP/C party, Mr Clement Rohee, yesterday called for Leader of the Opposition, Mr David Granger, to apologise for statements he made regarding corruption in the public sector which painted all public servants with a broad brush.

Speaking at the PPP/C’s weekly press conference held at Freedom House on Robb Street, Rohee contended that Granger’s comments are reflective of an indictment of all public servants as corrupt.
He said, “Granger is reported as saying that public servants turn a blind eye to corrupt practices because of inadequate wages and salaries paid to them, which in turn led to low morale. The PPP takes strong objection to the statements and insinuations made by Granger against public officials, the vast majority of whom served the people of this country with high levels of dedication, competence and professionalism.”

Rohee said “The PPP is of the view that a public apology should be made to the nation’s public servants by Granger, whose party not only lacks the political and ethical morality to speak on the issue of public servants’ salaries and conditions of work, after having pauperized public servants when the PNC held power by offering salary increases which were well below the rate of inflation on a consistent basis.”

According to Rohee, the suggestion that Guyana’s public servants are prone to facilitate corrupt practices in the exercise of their duties is tantamount to an attack on their integrity and professionalism. He said, “No less disrespectful is the attempt by Granger to draw a link between the salaries paid to public servants and the standard of professionalism that currently exists in the public service.”

Rohee pointed out that one of the first tasks embarked upon by the PPP when it assumed office in October 1992 was to significantly increase the emoluments of public servants, which at that time was a “paltry” G$3,000 per month.

Rohee said, “The salaries of public servants at the minimum level have seen consistent increases, reaching today $40,000. In addition, the PPP/C Government has kept inflation rates in check, unlike what obtained under the PNC regime, when real wages were gobbled up by the monster of inflation.”

The comments with which Rohee has taken contention were published in the Kaieteur News of Monday, March 17, under the headline: “Corruption festered by low Public Servants morale” – Granger.
By Vanessa Narine