“Corruption can affect the soul of the nation.” – Deryck Murray, Chair of Trinidad Transparency Institute and former West Indian cricketer.
As part of its activities for 2013, TIGI will continue its public outreach on promoting transparency and accountability and eradicating corruption. As part of its mandate TIGI works to sensitise the public and civil society organisations about its activities and how citizens can meaningfully contribute to promoting transparency and accountability and eradicating corruption. It may be recalled that TIGI had its first public outreach activity in collaboration with the Berbice Chamber of Commerce last November where it discussed in detail the nature of corruption, its causes and effects, and the way forward.
On Thursday March 21, TIGI will be travelling to Linden to engage in a similar exercise in collaboration with the Linden Chamber of Commerce, the business community and the public. TIGI urges the Linden community to support this effort through attendance and participation. The meeting starts at 10 am at the Linden Chamber of Commerce building with a presentation on identifying corruption, the effects of corruption and the role of citizens in tackling corruption. There will be a public discussion after.
TIGI appreciates the support and help from the Private Sector Commission here in Georgetown in providing assistance in arranging this meeting. Later this month, TIGI plans to visit Essequibo and the Upper Corentyne to meet the respective Chambers of Commerce. The dates and the venues will be announced as soon as the meetings are finalised.
TIGI will be presenting and encouraging discussion on the following recommendations which if implemented would play a major role in tackling corruption and improving accountability and transparency. These recommendations were presented to the public last December on the occasion of the United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day observed annually on December 9. TIGI also recently discussed and sought the support of the Private Sector Commission in lobbying the government to have the recommendations implemented. They are as follows:
● The urgent appointment of members of the Integrity Commission with sufficient staff and resources to fulfil its mandate;
● The urgent appointment of members of the decade awaited Public Procurement Commission to provide independent oversight of public procurement with sufficient staff and resources to fulfil its mandate;
● Implement laws to regulate election campaign
financing;
● Implement modern anti-corruption legislation;
● Implement whistle blowing legislation;
● Enforce existing anti-corruption laws by
investigating and prosecuting the corrupt;
● Strengthen existing anti-corruption institutions such as the Guyana Police Force and the Financial Intelligence Unit established under the money
laundering legislation with increased investigations and prosecutions;
● Appoint an Ombudsman;
● Ensure that all public money is placed in the Consolidated Fund, and no public expenditure must be incurred without parliamentary approval;
● Ensure that all appointments to public offices are advertised and are made with due regard to technical competence, and not loyalty;
● Ensure that the Access to Information Act passed in Parliament is strengthened and made operational;
● Ensure that there is integrity in public life
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About Transparency Institute
Guyana Inc (TIGI)
TIGI is the national contact of Transparency International – the world’s leading anti-corruption coalition with a presence in almost 100 countries. TIGI was recently formed as a civil society organization to promote transparency, accountability and the eradication of corruption in Guyana. Itis the only civil society body exclusively dedicated to these objectives. TIGI is incorporated as a not-for-profit company and is a non-partisan body operating in an independent manner with no political affiliation.
Its Board comprise 11 Directors and a Treasurer who are independent prominent leaders in their respective fields and whose varying expertise includes law, public procurement, governance, economics, audit and accounting, communications, project management and ethics. TIGI shares Transparency International’s vision of a world in which government, politicians, business and civil society and the daily lives of citizens are free of corruption.
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CONTACT US
Email: infotransparencygy@gmail.com
Facebook: Transparency Institute Guyana
Address: 157 Waterloo Street, Georgetown (Private Sector Commission Bldg.)
Telephone: 231-9586