Dear Editor,
Mr Christopher Ram’s letter published in the Stabroek News on January 21, 2009, titled ‘The President does not have the power to issue instructions to the Audit Office’ has no validity. Most Guyanese expect Christopher Ram to be a critic, now more than ever, of any initiative by the Jagdeo administration. For those of us who needed more proof, the recent revelation of his cosy relationship with the opposition PNCR tells the story. While anyone is free to associate with an individual or group, it is Christopher Ram’s pretence of being non-political, objective and an independent-minded financial analyst that dents his credibility. This is not just simply a matter of standard partisanship but one that dives deep into public trust and confidence, and is promoted only by words from too many so-called objective individuals in our society. They fail to practise what they relentlessly preach, and compromise their own beliefs.
Christopher Ram’s views about President Jagdeo’s request to the Auditor General to conduct an audit into the Fidelity fraud allegations stem from a misunderstanding or a misinterpretation. The President’s request in no way breaches the constitution as it does not interfere with the functioning of the Auditor General’s office.
A request to the Auditor General Office to conduct an inquiry is not the same as subjecting the office to the direction and control of any person or authority as Christopher Ram tries to insinuate.
It is amazing how people of his calibre make misstatements because of an unwillingness and perhaps inability to move beyond a myopic view.
The President holds that he has the right to request an inquiry to ascertain the integrity of any individual or company, especially for certain cases involving state finances and resources. Christopher Ram has no moral authority to lecture the Government of Guyana on good governance practices in the context of his conflict-of-interest scenario as writer and auditor of the Stabroek News and refusal to examine and criticize companies which his firm is employed to audit.
Christopher Ram is a so-called independent commentator who has now been exposed for his political interest.
Yours faithfully,
Kwame McCoy
