Time to walk the walk and ensure equality in treatment

CORRUPTION is not about theft, it is not about fraud; it is about officialdom aiding, abetting and protecting those who, in whatever form, are involved in acts of acquiring money, favours and riches to which they are not entitled.

This is a scourge that needs to be confronted in the Guyanese society at every level in every organisation and every community.

President David Granger has quite recently pronounced that corruption exists in the private sector; and one ought not to challenge or disbelieve him, since human beings will err, and laws need to be activated to bring them back in line.

Immediately, two issues stand out: the bringing of charges against former minister Jennifer Westford and her former assistant for acts allegedly committed against the state; and the charges brought against trade unionist Carvil Duncan, who is also chairman of the Public Service Commission and performs duties in other constitutional offices.

There are some in-house truths in industrial relations that need to be made known. When charges are made against an employee, or if for any reason those charges are levelled by the trade union against an employer’s representative, the trade union would ask that that person be interdicted to allow for an unfettered inquiry. As in the case of constitutional office, the most decent thing anyone ought to do is to resign and make way for an inquiry to be conducted. As such, Duncan should resign from all the constitutional offices he holds. His presence on these bodies would bring into question any decision made by them or any of their attendant arms.

To save the trade union, workers and citizens the indignity of the President and Prime Minister using the Guyana Constitution and laws to remove him, Duncan should understand that respect is earned when one is prepared to conform to internationally acceptable principles, and live by them.

Having addressed this issue, it is important that it be said that the President has a greater responsibility than any other public official to make sure that corruption is tackled at all fronts. Currently it is Westford and Duncan in the news on the issue of being placed before the court to answer for their alleged conduct. A question that has not be answered is: How is it that Duncan and Aeshwar Deonarine are together accused of the same act, and the latter has been allowed to leave the country without any resistance from representatives of the state?
From the point of view of the layman, some are more equal than some. Winston Brassington is being accused of so many wrongs, but has been allowed to leave this country. The head of the Guyana National Energy Authority has been accused also, along with a number of operatives, yet charges have not been brought against them.

It is instructive to note that while some continue to speak with forked tongue as to how the society will unite and unity will be for the benefit of the people, the law, which forms the basis for creating a society that is just, is selectively being used when it suits certain purposes.

In any system, if those in authority decide to address corruption in its totality, they will put in place mechanisms to inquire into charges levelled against public officials, those close to them, and their friends. This nation has been told many Nancy stories about Forbes Burnham, but the record will show that when Eusi Kwayana accused Hamilton Green and David Singh, two sitting ministers of Burnham’s government, the charges were heard by the Ombudsman; and at the end of the process, Singh was found culpable, and resigned.

Over recent years, starting from the Bharrat Jagdeo government to date, when accusation is made, the first thing the nation hears is that the President has confidence in the individual accused, not understanding that the issue before the President is not one of confidence, but that of a charge or allegation, and the minister must be called upon to answer it.

Too often, leaders in public office use their privileged position to deny the society an opportunity for the truth to be revealed. The issue of Robert Corbin, where Kwayana took him to court, cannot be allowed to go un-noticed. When the case was dismissed, Corbin chose the opportunity to sue Kwayana. That is democracy at work.

When persons from the current government and the PPP/C governments say to me that under Burnham and Desmond Hoyte there was dictatorship, they ignore the fact that the constitution, laws and courts were allowed to work.

The time has come for the Government to understand that it has to govern in a real world.
To say that corruption exists in the private sector is to acknowledge that President Granger is aware that corruption exists in the public sector. And since he is seen as the squeaky clean leader, he is called upon to act and bring solace to every segment of society, consistent with laws and time-honoured principles.