Dear Editor,

IT IS with sheer repugnance that I read once again — in the Wednesday, April 13, 2016 edition of Kaieteur News — regurgitated lies and half-truths in a manufactured article captioned
“GFC officials are as guilty as their former political bosses for corruption — WPA Executive Member”.I am also of the belief that Dr. David Hinds, Executive Member of the WPA, was duped by the Kaieteur News into believing the fallacy they have been publishing over and over. He needs to get the facts of the forensic audit and the response from Mr. Anand Goolsarran.

It is evident now more than ever that the Kaieteur News is hell bent on attacking the GFC on the management of the forestry sector for perceived malpractices committed, even after a forensic audit was conducted by the former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran clearing the GFC of any malpractice.

Mr Goolsarran was quoted in the article as saying that he could not find a “single piece of concrete evidence” which actually implicated a specific individual at GFC in the irregularities.

Mr. Goolsarran was further quoted as saying: “I am aware Government replaced the Board for the Forestry Commission. But I have to say that there was no concrete evidence to show that James Singh, for example, took decisions by himself. They were made by the former Board. I did not have hard or concrete evidence that there were irregularities carried out single-handedly by the Board.”

Despite the above, Kaieteur News still included in its article the following statement: “With all the instances of corruption he uncovered at the Guyana Forestry Commission, (GFC) Goolsarran made no recommendation for the Board or the GFC head, James Singh, to face any sanction”.

We have all been awaiting the outcome and completion of the various forensic audits, and now that some are completed, like the GFC’s, why can’t we accept the findings?

Over the past few months, Kaieteur News have been quoting Mr. Anand Goolsarran as credible and professional, with his expertise being in forensic audits, so why can’t they accept his findings that there is no level of malpractice or corruption at the GFC, as is constantly being portrayed by Kaieteur News?

The reading public is very well aware of the personal grievances the owner of that newspaper has with the forestry sector, more specifically Bai Shan Lin; but these attacks should not be stretched and extended to include working professionals, as in this case the Commissioner of Forests and his staff. It would be useful for those interested in the facts to read the Forensic Audit Report and the GFC Management response by visiting: http://www.forestry.gov.gy/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/GFC_Forensic_Audit_2015.pdf and http://www.forestry.gov.gy/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/GFC_Management_Response_to_Forensic_Audit_2016_1_14.pdf respectively.

Meanwhile, I strongly believe that the management personnel of Kaieteur News need to learn acceptance, rather than continue to fail as the prophets exposing corruption, and refusing to accept the facts even when provided by the competent authorities. For us all to progress as a nation, we need to take the punches as they come — good or bad — and keep moving on, rather than be stuck in a rut.
Sincerely,
SALEEM HAMID
Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara