Thieves at the top

– But why no response to Thomas and Ram?

– And my final farewell

One of my much shorter offerings today. Amidst the all-pervasive issue of the global economic recession is the equally pervasive incidence of corruption, greed and thievery.

These most brief notes are inspired by the international – and local – revelations of stealing at the top! By whatever name society wishes to describe that thievery. I’ve been reading pieces on how corporate governance in both the developed world and under-developed, vulnerable societies are actually fashioned to facilitate thieving and all forms of illegality, wrong-doing. Actually some big businesses have arrangements and governance loopholes that their protagonists will use to convince others – and themselves – that they are not stealing at all when they help themselves to ill-gotten funds and benefits that others never get opportunity to access.

When and if these captains of industry are caught, their clever shyster –lawyers use laws, loopholes and specific or exclusive regulations to exonerate their corrupt, dishonest clients. I note that the new American Attorney-General, Mr Holder of Barbadian roots, is exploring both Federal and Corporate laws to address the smooth greed and thievery and scams that are being uncovered in America’s financial and investment wasteland. Good luck to him and his boss, President Obama.

Thieves all …

In business and, perhaps, in government to a lesser extent, the executives who “take” might argue that no theft is taking, or has taken place. They can cite provisions in the small type of their contracts which allow them their largesse. No Insider-Trader will say he is stealing.

My old, well-worn but still trusted Oxford Concise actually defines “thief” as “one who steals, especially secretly and  without violence”. My, my. The world, I guess is now witnessing thievery of both categories – quiet sophisticated criminality and the usual, visible “robbery with violence”. Of course it all has to do with humankind’s radical change in morality. Honesty can never be the “best” policy anymore as I used to be taught. Fellows see as almost a right to get something for nothing; by trickery, by deceit, by conmanship which is used to outsmart a hard-working honest person or group to earn what shouldn’t be theirs.

I’ll conclude this little waffle by pointing to what’s been happening here. Corruption became endemic – in government circles – during the last decade of the PNC administration; say, late seventies, early eighties. I understand that there is a mountain of evidence to reveal that “official” corruption and high-class thievery is now institutionalised to a degree that our system of wickedness is akin to a kleptocracy. The more comfortable kleptomaniacs are the more they enjoy utilizing the systems, the officials, the greedy contractors, overseas connections and even the laws themselves.

C.E.Os steal, directly or through subordinate surrogates. Police officers are also well-placed to receive rewards or “commissions” not allowed in their contracts. Top soldiers used to feel untouchable because the military are our ultimate protectors, never to be exposed or prosecuted. What was wrong if fifty zinc sheets or twenty bags of cement were re-directed”? Municipal officials could allow certain requests. No money need to be passed. “Just look after my auto-repair expenses”. And the country’s Cocaine Executives know how to perpetuate these dependencies.

At the highest levels in government, I suppose, there are the highest, most lucrative opportunities for thievery. Our laws, checks and           balances only apply if wrong-doing is uncovered and reported. Bankers never like to expose their top employees who steal customers’ money. You know why. But the point needs to be made: Like the little, youthful snatcher, they are all thieves!

Respond government, respond!

Many “qualified” critics are wading into the government and its associated regulators with respect to the  CLICO debacle, the management of the economy and related governance issues.

Layman as I am I keep an open mind when reading and studying people like Dr Clive Thomas and Mr Christopher Ram.  (Incidentally, my mind is “open” because I always imagine eminent, qualified, professional critics in government having to confront the conditionalities of international institutions; poor governments sometimes have little choice.)

Nevertheless, I would want government specialists – Finance Minister, Budget Director, NIS Chairman, GRA Chief, Bank of Guyana Governor? – to respond to let’s say, just five (5) Thomas-Ram critiques: (i) there are glaring weaknesses in official statistics; (ii) a significant proportion of economic transactions in Guyana are inspired by criminal motivations; (iii) “there is a symbiotic relation between political elites and organized crime bosses; (iv) criminality, including capital flight and money laundering undermine government’s credibility and (v) if the Guyana CLICO CEO breached the Insurance Act to export CLICO’s earnings excessively, why is she not being censured?

Are not these questions worthy of a response?

Janet J  –   My final thoughts

Hope the editor used my full-length piece saying farewell to Janet Jagan by now.

My final reflections include these: that whatever her inner-most, personal motivations she was a titan who shaped local political culture; that I could even understand the quiet outrage of some, the hypertension at “the IMAGE for Guyana” she presented when she became President. Some of us, believe/accept it or not, are entitled to our Racial Preferences, especially if we don’t allow preference to become rabid racism.

When Janet relented and chose the youngster Bharrat even the PNC-types were assuaged. For a few short months!

Frank Anthony was good in recalling Janet’s versatile sponsorship of the arts. And Ashton Chase was remarkably revealing when discussing Janet’s battles to secure representation for McKenzie’s bauxite workers! Even Randy Kirton came out of the woodwork to sing the lady’s praises! And finally (?) one of Janet’s fiercest critics Lorri was buried just hours before she passed; how I admired the female funeral parlour driver and the four GDF lady soldiers who participated in Janet’s final farewell.

So who’s left!? Ashton Chase, Eusi Kwayana, Neville Annibourne,  Reepu, Ranji? Help me with a ‘forties-‘fifties list …
Until …

●  1) A Stabroek editorial beat me to responding to Frank Fyffe’s  provocative letter on “the well-being of the masses”, but I side with Frank and shall return to this issue next Friday.

●  2) Cricket in New Zealand is so clean, peaceful, scenic, anti-septic!

● 3) Neighbourhoods near to the White House are riddled with HIV/AIDS, they say. Comparable to parts of Africa. How sad, but revealing.

● 4) Can there ever be a Beauty Pageant for virgins?

’Til next week!

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