–President Ali underscores govt’s commitment to transparency, accountability

BUILDING on Guyana’s accountability framework, President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Friday administered the Oath of Office to four persons who will serve for the next three years as members of the constitutionally-mandated Public Procurement Commission (PPC).

Those sworn in at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive were Joel Bhagwandin, Rajnarine Singh, Dianna Rajkumar, and former Chairman of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) Berkeley Wickham.

The fifth member, Attorney-at-Law Pauline Chase, was unavoidably absent from the event, and will take the Oath of Office in the new week.

The PPC is a critical body, as it is constitutionally responsible for the oversight of the public procurement of all goods and services, along with the monitoring of all infrastructural works to ensure that they conform to the relevant laws and guidelines.

Guyana has been without a PPC since October 2019, when the previously-appointed Commission had reached its statutory term limit. That Commission, which had been appointed in 2016, had served for three years with Ms. Carol Corbin serving as chairperson.

Giving brief remarks at the ceremony, President Ali said that the government has embarked on a development path that is transformative.
“Important to that transformation,” he said, “are issues of public accountability, transparency, and ensuring that social mechanisms and systems that allow the public expenditure to occur are not only strong, but they are continually renewed, in an effort to advance and enhance transparency and accountability.”

The Head-of-State pointed out that the function of the Commission adds a tier to the institutional mechanisms for ensuring oversight of public financing. In this case, His Excellency said, oversight of procurement to strengthen transparency in an accountable manner.

He explained that under the Constitution of Guyana, commissioners are required to have “a specific skill set” to support Guyana’s reputation of transparent, democratic and open governance.

“I have all confidence that the combined experience, knowledge, and diverse expertise of the members of this Commission will add value to your work, and will bring the necessary benefits to the country, and to government systems as we work together, enhancing and building a stronger framework through which we will transform and develop our country,” the President told the newly-appointed commissioners.

During the ceremony, Police Service Commission (PSC) member Hakeem Mohammed also took his Oath of Office. The other members of the Police Service Commission (PSC), including its Chairman, Patrick Findlay, were sworn in on May 31, 2022.

“I’m very pleased to say that we have been able to appoint the final member of the Police Service Commission,” President Ali said, adding: “That Commission is now fully constituted, and we expect it to continue to work diligently in the execution of its mandate.”

According to the President, the members of the Teaching Service and Judicial Service Commissions will soon be appointed.

The last Judicial Service Commission (JSC) expired in 2017 under the then ‘Coalition’ government. The JSC is responsible for making recommendations for judicial appointments, and removing or exercising disciplinary action over persons holding or acting in judicial offices.

There has been a 20-year impasse on judicial appointments. The last substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary was Justice Desiree Bernard. The current Chancellor (ag), Yonette Cummings-Edwards, and Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George, have both been acting in their respective positions for a number of years.

“There are some final memberships that are required, so that we can bring the Commission into full force… We are hoping that the final set of recommendations and appointments in allowing the appointment can be made in the shortest possible timeframe,” President Ali said.

After the membership issues are ironed out, he said, he will proceed with the appointment of the two commissions in keeping with his government’s vision for a transparent and accountable public system in Guyana.

“Your work requires collective effort; it requires constructive thinking in advancing demand…. Our country and our governance system will continue to improve and deliver better and better for the people of our country,” the President told the commissioners in the presence of their families and well-wishers.

On May 31, the President appointed several persons to serve as members of the Integrity Commission (IC) and the Police Service Commission (PSC).

Chandra Gajraj was elected as chair of the five-member Integrity Commission, among them Dr. Jocelin Kim Kyte-Thomas, Mohamed Ispahani Haniff, Haresh Tiwari, and Wayne Bowman.

Additionally, Bishop Patrick Findlay was sworn in as chair of the four-member Police Service Commission that also includes Mark Conway, Hakeem Mohamed, and Ernesto Choo-a-Fat.