Dear Editor,
I am a Guyanese residing abroad and keep abreast everyday, through your newspaper, of what’s happening in Guyana.
I refer to the recent copter deal and from what I have been reading so far, it does not smell right. It appears that some person(s) benefited from this deal personally. Was this purchase put through an open tender process with representatives from the private sector involved – after all it was a very significant expenditure involving taxpayers’ money and it was a very important equipment purchase that would definitely have an impact on security in Guyana. Why wasn’t a guy like Gerry Gouveia involved in the decision, given his expertise in this equipment? Given the history of corruption in government offices, the government should have appointed a committee comprising reputable members of the public and private sector to make this decision.
Another recent news item is the involvement of senior members of the GRA in the Polar beer customs allegations. Despite additional controls put in place, there seems to still be corruption in this government agency. I hope the government will take very tough actions against these government servants if found guilty and send a very strong message to others who may contemplate such practices in the future.
Finally, it is my hope, and I believe I speak on behalf of the majority of Guyanese residing abroad, that Stabroek News will pursue these matters vigorously so that investigations are carried out to determine whether person(s) benefited personally from these transactions and that they be brought to justice.
Yours faithfully,
T Jones
