Dear Editor
Like many Guyanese, at home and abroad, I was elated at the outcome of the May 2015 elections. However, this did not, and does not, give me pause in critiquing initiatives I find to be wanting. Shortly after its victory the government announced the names of new ministries. I questioned, ad nauseam, the idea of a ministry within a ministry. I wanted to see the organizational chart of this interesting construct. In my humble opinion, it is more logical to say department within a ministry. It turns out that what the government really meant was not communicated effectively to the people.
To be specific, the ‘Department’ of Social Cohesion, should not be called a ministry, as is repeatedly, and erroneously done in the press, including the government owned Guyana Chronicle. See recent Guyana Chronicle article, ‘Fostering peace, unity….Amna Ally lays out vision of Social Cohesion Ministry’ (February 13). During the budget debates of 2015 I heard Minister Joseph Harmon make clear that there is no such ministry. Here’s what he said: “There is no ministry called the Ministry of Social Cohesion. It is an activity under the Ministry of the Presidency. There is a Minister of Social Cohesion, but there is no ministry called Social Cohesion. It is dealt within under the line item.”
Some may see this as a non-issue, but clarity as regards our institutions is necessary to avoid confusion. Whether in parliament or outside of it.
Yours faithfully,
Samuel Braithwaite
