Dear Editor,
I have noted with much concern the outrageous comments articulated by many over the salary increases of ministers and all parliamentarians. There were many contentious comments on what Minister Harmon said with regard to the salary increases. That is to say, he has no apologies. It did baffle me to hear the Minister make such a comment but I knew it was only because the PPP/C got him extremely angry.
What did not surprise me is the fact that even though Minister Harmon said he had no apologies, he was man enough to apologise to the Guyanese people. It is my opinion that Mr Harmon saw that the PPP/C was trying desperately to capitalize on what he said as opposed to the actual issue at hand. He apologized and I applaud him for that. The facts remain the same. The APNU+AFC government is intended not to practise corruption. I support the payment of a comfortable salary for our ministers which I know will mitigate the temptation of engaging in malpractices which was a feature of the previous government.
However, should a minister be found guilty of entertaining corrupt practices the President must fire that minister instantly for there is no plausible reason for entertaining such behaviour in a government which stands for real transparency in a true democracy.
Notwithstanding the number of criticisms over what Minister Harmon said about the salary increase, I have not heard the commendations for his noble and philanthropic gesture of donating that increase to communities for their infrastructural upliftment. Jack must be given his jacket. Commentators found it necessary to condemn his “no apologies” statement but cannot find the same amount of time to praise his actions of donating the increase to communities. Minister Harmon has done exceptionally well, and it is my only hope that other ministers will follow suit. In fact should all ministers do the same as Mr Harmon then we as voters will be more than convinced that indeed a good leader is a great servant.
Minister Harmon has shown the public that he is human and has the people at heart, and for this I salute him.
Editor, permit me now to divert and ask Mr Rohee and others such as Ms Manickchand, Mr Irfaan Ali, Mr Jagdeo, Mr Edghill, Mr Nandlall, Ms Shadick, Ms Teixeira, Mr Lumumba, et al, which community they will donate their increases to? If they have not thought about it then may I suggest that they make a generous donation to the islands Wakenaam and Leguan for they are in need of street lights. Remember it was the PPP/C that promised them these in 2011. They can still fulfil that promise even though they are in opposition by doing exactly what Minister Harmon has done.
Yours faithfully,
Ganesh Mahipaul
