WHAT is passing as political leadership in Guyana today, when subject to scrutiny, is found to be wanting. The APNU+AFC administration, on its ascension to office, responded to public calls that the excesses and intransigence of the Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar governments must be addressed, and those found in violation of the policies, laws and standard practices be held accountable.

This call pushed the administration to commission forensic audits, during which there appeared scandalous headlines in the media. The revelations, in many instances, confirmed what the people knew, and in other instances were downright shocking.
At the conclusions of these audits, there was a period of silence and a cut-off of information as to the results and what actions will be taken. During this period, Jagdeo challenged the administration to make the audits public. At his 2nd February 2016 press conference, he said: “Release the audits, give it to everyone; give it to the newspapers, the TV stations, to everyone. Put up a website and put it there, since we are calling for transparency.”

Now that several audits have been made public, he who joined with the public and encouraged their release has somersaulted and is now claiming that the intent of the audits is to damage professionals.

Jagdeo had served as head of government and had sworn to uphold the laws, yet he recklessly claims that the auditing of state entities is witch-hunting and damaging to professionals.
Conveniently, he ignores that professionals in state entities are paid by the people to manage their business within the confines of laws and standard practices.

This nation is reminded that, during Jagdeo’s presidency, he had a personal hand in taking away the subventions/grants from the Guyana Trades Union Congress and the Critchlow Labour College (CLC). On this matter, he masked his vindictive and discriminatory stewardship of the State on false public claims that the books were not audited. Though there was no problem with the auditing of our accounts — and these are not state institutions — it should be said audited accounts were never a pre-condition for receiving State grants. This has been a practice applicable to other non-governmental organisations as well.

The CLC is established to play a role in workers’ training and education — past, present and potential — equipping them with requisite skills and knowledge to be productive in their endeavours. The educational and economic dispossession Jagdeo’s government brought on these categories of workers/citizens that relied on CLC for empowerment is dastardly. The withdrawal of the grant, which helped in offsetting overhead cost, significantly affected students from lower income brackets and state employees who comprise the majority of our intake.

When Jagdeo was presented the CLC’s audited accounts, he pivoted from the position of lack of audited statements justifying the withdrawal to yours truly accusing his government of economic genocide in the African community, a position I stand by. Now that his and Ramotar’s administrations have been put under the microscope of audited statements and found wanting, he is moving the issue from accountability to that of personality.

Professionals are bound by the laws, rules, policies and standard practices governing the organizations for which they work. These principles are universal; and where lower-level staff members are held accountable for violating them, so, too, must professionals. So the argument Jagdeo is making — that the current administration is attacking professionals, given the revelations in the audits and recommendations to hold them accountable — is his effort to continue the lawlessness that has characterised his and Ramotar’s stewardships.

Professionalism, which is important to good governance in the public service and state entities, can only be realised when lawlessness is not condoned. This society can progress only when there is strident effort to stamp out lawlessness. We, the people, and moreso the APNU+AFC administration, must not be cowered by bluster and attempts at playing the divisive game. As we pursue good governance, we must be guided by our laws and internationally-acceptable conventions, buttressed by time-honoured principles.

In February, when Jagdeo was questioned by the media about the criminal charges against Dr. Jennifer Westford, he had this to say: “But as it unfolds, let me make it clear (that) if the investigations are done professionally, then any member of the PPP who has to face the court for any alleged wrongdoing, they have to face the consequences, once the investigations are done professionally.” In principle he is correct, but correctness must not be selectively applied; it must be universal.

We, the people, to whom the country and resources belong, must not take our eyes off, nor silence our voices on, matters of accountability, which are important to ensuring we live the quality of life we deserve.