GUYANESE over the past three years have been bombarded by the recycled claims by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) that the Government is corrupt, and should be voted out of office.

The constant repetition of the message, which is often devoid of any proper substantiation, is done deliberately with the hope that it would stick and they will achieve their aim of getting their hands on the reins of power.
For anyone following the media, this is not news the least bit, as the combined Opposition has always been strident and unapologetic in their public posture, probably to outdo each other, in painting the Government in bad light.
The accusation of corruption has been their mantra, as they maintain a momentum at being vicious and unrelenting, so much so that any major project of the Administration is labelled as corrupt.
With the ferocity upheld by the AFC and APNU, it is difficult to take them seriously as most of their claims have been based on hearsay rather than compelling evidence.
And no doubt, they will be holding this stance as they hit the elections trail, hand-in-hand in their ‘marriage of convenience’, hoping to secure victory at the May 11 polls, which they used their one-seat majority in Parliament to precipitate.
Here is where the electorate will have to be alert and ask themselves a salient question: What has the AFC and APNU done to improve their lives and the country which they are fighting to assume rulership?
It is universally acknowledged that corruption stagnates development and keeps the poor in poverty as political leaders turn a blind eye to their constituency, and rely on brainwashing the people to maintain traditional support.
The question has to be asked of the accuser on whether they have any moral ground to sprout their claims of corruption against the Government given their performance in 10th Parliament.
It has been an undeniable fact that notwithstanding the claims of Government corruption, Guyana has enjoyed nine years of consecutive economic growth, development has not abated, and the lives of the people and image of Guyana have been greatly improved from the position of ‘shame and shambles’ that it was some two decades ago.
Corruption is not only about the siphoning-off of money but also the use of office for personal gain, and on this point, closer examination has to be paid to the actions of the Parliamentary Opposition, more particularly their voting down of billions of dollars to improve the lives of all Guyanese.
Many of these same Guyanese are their supporters, whom they would have promised to use the confidence vested in them, to work in a manner that is not inimical to their development.
But yet the nation was made to watch the combined Opposition, even in defiance of a High Court ruling, slashed monies for various developmental projects it conveniently labelled as “corrupt”, including monies for Amerindian development.
The motive was clear: all Government projects must be painted as corrupt and development must not continue at a rapid pace.
No one will disagree that Guyana is not free of corruption, but the Opposition has been using corruption as a smokescreen to brainwash the electorate to get their votes.
The cutting of monies for vital projects therefore is not necessarily about corruption, but more about vindictiveness in their bit to gain power.
Undoubtedly, it is clear as day that this is flagrant use of office for personal gain, and in this case, the brainwashing of their supporters by pretending to be militant against corruption, to hold on to their seats in Parliament and at the regional level.
If this is not corrupt, then what is? And from all indications, given that General and Regional Elections are around the corner, it is unlikely that the corruption mantra, seemingly the trump card of the Opposition will simmer down.
The people will have to take note, but perhaps it would be wiser for both of the now formal partners, the AFC and APNU, to look themselves in the mirror before they speak about corruption.