Those with an eye for coincidence and irony might have observed that, just as we were warning in last Friday’s editorial, that “a high academic title alone is no guarantee of personal achievement or, indeed, integrity” and that we should not “take anyone’s curriculum vitae at face value,” a mini-drama involving the appointment of Dr Naresh Singh to the post of Caricom Deputy Secretary-General was beginning to unfold.
It seems that Dr Singh had been offered the second highest post in the Caricom Secretariat only for damaging revelations, appearing in the Canadian press on February 14, to start circulating in Guyana. According to these reports, an investigation has begun in Canada over a possible conflict of interest, allegedly involving Dr Singh during his time in a senior executive position at the Canadian International Development Agency (Cida). On Wednesday, the Caricom Secretariat announced that it had withdrawn the offer of employment to Dr Singh.
It is a most unfortunate situation for all concerned. Dr Singh has an impressive CV, with a doctorate from the University of the West Indies at Mona and a track record of notable appointments, including as Executive Director of the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute, Programme Director at the International Institute for Sustainable Development in Winnipeg, Canada, Executive Director of the UN Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, and Director-General for Strategic Planning at Cida. He could have been a worthy addition to the Caricom Secretariat, given his extensive management experience, with the potential to make a significant contribution to the change management process currently under way.
It is a deeply embarrassing and possibly career-threatening development for Dr Singh, who recently resigned as Programme Director of the Canadian-funded Caribbean Local Economic Development Programme (Cariled), based in Trinidad, to take up the Caricom position. His embarrassment is now probably compounded by the fact that he went on the front foot when the news broke, denying the allegations against him and contending that he did not believe that he should hold off on taking up the appointment, as there was “enough time between now and the proposed time of taking up office for adequate investigations to be completed.”
Of course, Dr Singh is entitled to due process and his side of the story must be heard. But, in appearing to be seeking to force the Caricom Secretary-General’s hand, he did himself no favours in the internet-fuelled court of public opinion. In a climate of growing suspicion with regard to the motives and actions of those in high office, and given the tendency by some to dismiss allegations, no matter how credible, with obfuscation, disrespect for public opinion and even contempt for the law, Dr Singh might have done better to adopt a more measured approach to explaining his position.
The matter is highly embarrassing for the Caricom Secretary-General, Irwin LaRocque. In offering Dr Singh the opportunity to be his number two, clearly Mr LaRocque must have felt that, based on his outstanding CV, he was the right man for the job.
But the Secretary-General cannot really be blamed for this fiasco, as Dr Singh’s name did not appear in the Canadian Public Sector Integrity Commissioner’s 2010 report into wrongdoing at Cida and the agency apparently felt that it was more important to protect its employee’s right to privacy than take measures to be more transparent and accountable to the Canadian taxpayer. Why, even the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), which is funding Cariled, was unaware of the shadow of doubt hanging over Dr Singh, when it hired him to lead the programme.
No doubt, Cida and FCM are also embarrassed by this episode. But then again, so should we all be by this sorry tale, for just as we take pride in the achievements of Guyanese at home and abroad so should we be shamed by yet another question mark hovering above our national reputation.
