Dear Editor,

THIS country has been stagnated for the last 50 years because of bad leadership from our two main political parties –- the PPP and the PNC. We have watched grudgingly as many other countries with far less resources surged ahead of us.

That is why the United Republican Party (URP) would like to take this rare opportunity to applaud both the Coalition and the PPP for the patriotic foresight in setting up, approving, and instituting the Public Procurement Commission.

For years, corruption within the Government entities ran amok as politicians used billions from the Consolidated Funds to enrich themselves, families and cronies. Contracts were awarded based on kickbacks and the promise of illegal residual benefits; and shabby work was them done by the contractors, with no process for redress because bribes were paid to well-placed officials to mitigate any accountability.

Politicians and government officials built lavish homes and businesses. Many travelled the world on expensive vacations and acquired state-of-the-art vehicles, all because of access to a broken procurement system that allowed them to steal tax payers’ money and get away with it.

Contractors botched many of the jobs, even leaving some unfinished. Billions were squandered during the absence of a functioning PPC.

Hopefully, with the functioning of the PPC, all the financial abuses, skullduggery, and breaches of contract would come to an end. It is expected that Guyana would now get value for its money.

However, the mettle of the commissioners will now be tested. Those who understand and benefited for the illicit gains of a broken system will seek to perpetuate the brokenness of the system. The commissioners would therefore be approached and offered bribes and kickbacks akin to what obtained before. There will be those who would stop at nothing in order to illegally and cockishly enrich themselves. The commissioners should be very vigilant and wary of these unpatriotic folks.

The URP has long held the view that the PPP and its associates have been enriching themselves through the public treasury, hence the prolonged reluctance to set up the PPC. In his remarks concerning establishment of the PPC, President David Granger said that his “administration is committed to ensuring greater vigilance and scrutiny of infrastructural projects and awarding of contracts, to eliminate opportunities for corruption and cronyism at all levels.”

We applaud the President in this regard.
DR. VISHNU BANDHU
Leader, URP