Today this should be my most brief in weeks. Much of it is necessary summarised repetition. To me, necessary because although (global) context is generally useful in locating issues, even theories, our once-innocent Guyana has recently ranked significantly high on the international listings of States that are characterized by pervasive government–generated and executive–friendly corruption.
That is not to say that changed morality and an enabling environment have not combined to produce too many members of a current generation of Guyanese who regard corrupt practices, even soft criminal behaviour, as normal events in their everyday lives. Religious or not, and with the breakdown of strong familial units and values, our young adults tend to embrace get-rich-quick role-models. In short, corruption is tolerated. Under the recent dispensation corruption meant “success”. No wonder it had to become both an election issue and a national cancer that will require long-term, hopefully terminal treatment under the new administration.
Corruption: The World and Guyana
I return to this issue primarily because of the media headlines blaring forth all of the executive mischief related to the corrupt and criminal-oriented activities of the PPP folks.
I’ve told friends that they must expect daily, weekly discoveries of this nature. Imagine when experts conduct their forensic audits throughout the systems and the ten regions! Two-plus decades of structured corruption built on beginnings in pre-1992, took hold. They can run but they now can’t hide.
I have misplaced a piece I did about the “world being a corrupt place” just months ago. The writer I quoted delineated how the very rich Western World which blames the poorer Third World societies of being routinely corrupt, is itself the leaders of corrupt systems and (global) empires.
I must return to that sometime, but readers must study how even the rich donors’ wealth creates more poverty in the under-developed world. Even as Western governments and their international corporate giants offer increased ‘investments’ to Latin America, Asia and Africa, so too has poverty increased in those places. Transnationals push out local businesses – from commerce to land – as locals are much underpaid without realizing it. It is a much longer, fascinating story and study. But corruption is its bedrock.
No need for me to recite here the corruption mantra. My clippings-file on the issue bulges. GuySuCo, GGMC, CLICO, land allocation, backroom “investment” deals and “sweetheart” contracts.
Dr Clive Thomas’ blood-pressure keeps rising as he laments and warns about the consequences of the activities of “a corrupt criminalised State”, replete with the looting of our patrimonial resources.
With confidence, I suspect, we taxpayers must know that procurement commissions, parliamentary oversights and fully professional auditor-general offices cometh!
PPP faithful and corruption
Those PPP politicians and government executives who allegedly profited from corrupt takings; those business giants who allegedly reaped the wealth too, inclusive of foreign funded projects, must now shed tears, even if silently. They, perhaps, will now use skills, resources and cash to switch allegiances.
But I wonder: since 200,000 plus still voted for the PPP/C last May 11, most probably still under–25, how do young PPP members and supporters view the (verifiable) revelations of corruption, graft, greed and other financial mischief now being uncovered? Oh well, it must be what I wrote about in paragraphs above: the new morality okays thievery.
The President and My Citizenship
Amongst the criticisms, cautions, advisories and warnings attending the advent of the Coalition Administration, one, written by a regular “letters-to-the-editor” contributor whose initials “M.M.” do not really hide his real persona, attracted my attention.
I was also advised that insightful and provocative as this analyst can be, some of his ”predictions” can amount to scare-mongering. Sometimes on behalf of a particular interest. I did find his pre-polling day concerns about the Electors List worthy. Now I am a little intrigued by his recent piece on the President and presidential powers with regard to Guyanese citizenship.
Mind you, I was “impressed” because although the Constitution of the Republic is now frequently by my elbow, I did not ever explore article forty-six (46). This “M2” reminds us, is the Constitutional provision which now empowers a Guyana President to deprive Guyanese citizens of their citizenship! Under specific circumstances, of course. Now I know of this power, I would agree that imminent Constitutional reform should revise this Article to hand that authority to Parliament – or a more broad-based authority.
I do not share the writer’s views that President Granger is already exhibiting signs of autocracy or authoritarian tendencies. Not at all! I also accept the preliminary explanation for Mr Felix’s portfolio – Minister of Citizenship – including the stamping out of “citizenship-for-sale”; the re-structuring of the General Register Office, Passport de-centralisation and related matters.
But, Frankly Speaking, when the President can take away my daughters’ Guyanese citizenship because they act in some manner, being American naturalized/paper citizens, it is worthy of study. I won’t repeat M.M.’s concerns about the ability of the President to tamper with “Opposition Guyanese” citizenship or his authority to confront Chinese or Brazilian Guyanese. But I urge some study of Article 46. It had slipped me by.
Please ponder…
*1) To really ponder the phenomenon of corruption amongst the rich, the powerful, the greedy, the needy, would take books. That’s why I left out FIFA and the world system of Banks in my remarks above.
*2) The Ministry of the Presidency, in collaboration with the new GINA(?), must produce early, early, correct names of ministers, ministries and their detailed specific portfolios. (Remember our poor students!)
*3) What will the PPP now tell their sugar-workers-supporters? And how will the PPP use its majorities in the RDC’s? Co-operation or confrontation?
*4) As I cautioned in December 2011: watch out for the composition of those Parliamentary Committees and Subcommittees. (Committees like peas!)
*5) I promised this last Friday. When the BBC told President Burnham that little Guyana had more Government Ministers than Germany, Forbes explained: “The Junior Ministers/Ministers of State are akin to your Permanent Secretaries and senior Government functionaries. I merely call them ministers”. President Granger now says his are Understudies, Apprentices (?) Ministers like peas!
‘Til next week!
(Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)
