Monday, 11 May 2015, was a historic day for Guyana, as citizens across the length and breadth of Guyana came out in their numbers to cast their votes for the political parties of their choice. The result was a victory for the Opposition coalition APNU+AFC, and a defeat for the PPP/C which has been in office for the past 23 years. The citizens have decided, and it is incumbent on every Guyanese, regardless of political affiliation and/or persuasion, to respect that decision and to allow for a smooth transition. The new Administration has an enormous task ahead to mend the broken system of government that it has inherited, and to reset the country on the path of progress and development for the economic and social benefit for all its peoples. The bitter and acrimonious period of campaigning is over, and both sides need to sit together in a genuine and sincere attempt to resolve the multitudinous problems facing the country.
Swearing in of the new President
On 16 May 2015, Retired Brigadier General David Granger was sworn in as the eighth Executive President of Guyana. The ceremony quite fittingly took place in the balcony of Parliament Building as a mark of respect for the highest decision-making body of the land, as emphasized by the new President when he declared that there was good reason to celebrate not only because of the election results but also more importantly for the restoration of democracy. The previous Administration not only treated the legislative arm of government – the assembly of elected representatives – with complete and utter disdain but also deliberately circumvented all the tenets of democratic norms and values once elected to office, especially since the death of former President Cheddi Jagan.
In his speech, the President vowed not to prorogue Parliament, in clear reference to what his predecessor had done in response to a motion of no confidence in the Government. Instead of ending the prorogation and subjecting his Administration to the scrutiny of the Legislature, as the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper did in 2008, the former President chose to dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections. In his moment of reflection, the former President must realise how badly he had misread the mood of the electorate. This is especially so, considering that following the 28 November 2011 general elections, his Administration was reduced to the status of a minority government, a status which, by its actions, it stubbornly refused to acknowledge and accept. Despite the fact that the combined Opposition held the majority in the Legislature, it was shut out of all decision-making involving the affairs of the State. This attitude became a recipe for disaster and culminated in defeat at the recently concluded polls.
The President stated that we must put the past behind us, live in unity and banish poverty, ignorance, fear and hatred. He promised to be a good President for all the people. He disclosed that both the incoming Administration and the previous Administration have agreed to put together a transition team to facilitate the transfer of assets and information to ensure continuity in the management of the affairs of the State. He also extended an offer to the former President to join the unity movement.
Interview with the media
Prior to taking up his position as the Head of State, the President held an interview with one of the media houses at which he indicated that the Opposition will be invited to discussions in the budget preparation process. Regrettably, such consultations did not take place under the previous Administration which insisted that the preparation and finalization of the budget is solely its responsibility. However, it has always been the practice for there to be the widest possible consultations with key stakeholders in crafting the national budget. That apart, commonsense would have dictated that the combined Opposition, which controlled the Legislature, should have been consulted in a very meaningful way. Had this been done, the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the past three years might have enjoyed smooth passage in the Assembly. There would have been no unauthorized expenditure; no request for judicial intervention; and no ruling from the Chief Justice to the effect that the then Minister of Finance had violated the Constitution.
As regards whether forensic audits by overseas experts would be carried out at agencies such as NICIL, the Geology and Mines Commission, and the Forestry Commission, the President made it clear that local expertise is available to conduct such exercises. These and possibly other agencies were complicit in the interception of State revenues and the utilizing them to incur expenditure without parliamentary approval.
The President spoke of the need for balanced coverage by State-owned news agencies, namely the National Communications Network, the Guyana Chronicle and the Government Information Agency. A transition team subsequently met with the heads of these agencies and impressed upon them the need to do so. Under the previous Administration, these agencies served an instruments of propaganda for the ruling party, almost to the exclusion of the coverage of the views, events and activities of the political opposition. Civil society activists as well as those who were critical of the operations of the Government also felt the brunt of vile attacks and character assassinations from these agencies.
On the question of corruption and misappropriation of public funds, the President made it clear that for those who have committed crimes, the law will have to take its course. He also spoke of the need to build a professional public service which has been an area of complete neglect and subversion by the previous Administration in preference to a parallel and elitist public service comprising handpicked loyalists engaged on a contractual basis at emoluments and other conditions of service superior to those of the traditional service. An estimated 20 per cent of the public servants falls in this category. The President subsequently met with Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments and urged them to display the highest degree of professionalism notwithstanding any political inclinations they may have. He spoke of plans to reset the public service to its former glory of which a key ingredient is its political neutrality. He also spoke about the establishment of a Public Service Staff College where recruits will be trained in various aspects of public management to help them to carry out their functions effectively and for the purpose of mobility within the Service. The President also gave the assurance of a return to collective bargaining agreements with the Guyana Public Service Union. Under the previous Administration, trade union representation was seriously undermined, indeed compromised; and arbitrary increases in salaries and wages were granted to public servants mainly to offset the effects of inflation.
Restoration of the Independence Arch and the clean-up of the city
One of the most refreshing aspects of the new presidency is the determination to restore Georgetown from what can only be described as a garbage city, to its former glory as the “Garden City of the Caribbean”. Even before he officially took up office, the President initiated a campaign to clean up the city and to refurbish the Independence Arch in Brickdam in preparation for Independence Day celebrations. Because of political wrangling between the previous Administration and the Georgetown City Council, the latter was starved of financial resources to carry out the much-needed maintenance works. As a result, drains and canals became clogged up, there were overgrown bushes and grass along the parapets of many streets, and the stench sometimes became unbearable, especially at the Bourda and Stabroek markets. Given this state of affairs, a short period of rainfall resulted in flooding in several parts of the city. Both the Stabroek and Kitty markets are in a complete state of disrepair and pose a serious risk in terms of safety.
First week in office
Last Monday, the President took up office and met with the staff of the now renamed Ministry of the Presidency. He made it clear that his administration will be not be involved in any witch-hunting exercise and that employees with be judged on the basis of their performance, professionalism and level of efficiency, regardless of their political inclinations. He also announced the appointment of Joseph Harmon as the Minister of the Ministry of Presidency, who will be taking over most of the functions of the former Head of the Presidential Secretariat. The President also announced his administration’s intention to reintroduce national awards. The last such awards were made in October 2011, many to handpicked party loyalists.
The new Minister of Finance is Mr. Winston Jordan, the former Director of Budget in the Ministry of Finance. He met with the senior staff of the Ministry to obtain an understanding of the state of the economy. He learnt that the Consolidated Fund was heavily overdrawn, and the explanation offered for this alarming state of affairs was that the Guyana Gold Board had failed to reimburse the Fund for amounts advanced to the Board to pay miners. The Minister stated that he is also aware that moneys belonging the Consolidated Fund are not only scattered in several bank accounts but are also retained by certain State agencies operating as “parallel treasuries”.
Next week, we will continue our discussion on the overdraft situation of the Consolidated Fund, among other issues.
