The concentration of various powers in Minister Joseph Harmon was last night cited by the Alliance for Change (AFC) as the key reason for difficulties that have flared up around the government and it plans to raise this issue at Cabinet as a matter of “national importance”.
In its first major statement since the APNU+AFC government took office in May last year, the AFC also said the report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the death of WPA Leader Walter Rodney provides an opportunity for national healing and reconciliation. This would put it at odds with coalition partner, APNU whose Leader, President David Granger, has repudiated the report.
The AFC has come under pressure in recent weeks to speak out on major issues that have arisen and following a previously unannounced leadership retreat yesterday it issued a statement on Harmon’s problems, the Rodney CoI and the raft of audits that have been done of state entities.
It said that “key” leaders of the AFC yesterday attended the retreat as part of an ongoing effort to review the party’s performance and to discuss a number of issues of concern to the party.
“Principally the AFC reviewed and considered internal matters with regard to the party’s operations and structure along with its role as part of the Coalition Government of Guyana.
“Also, among the matters discussed at the retreat was the issue of the appointment of a Ministerial Advisor on Business Development by the Minister of State (Harmon) and other revelations in the public domain.
“The Alliance for Change is of the opinion that the current difficulties which the government has encountered in the continuing revelations arising out of the appointment of the Advisor on Business Development and the issues surrounding this, have their roots in the concentration of the powers of the office of the Cabinet Secretary, the Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency and the effective Head of Presidential Secretariat in a single person”, the party said.
It argued that the responsibilities of each of the portfolios are substantial and of vital importance to the smooth operations of the Government and would therefore benefit from separate appointments.
“The Alliance for Change has mandated its leadership in Cabinet to have these issues raised and addressed as a matter of national importance”, the statement said. The party’s two key leaders at Cabinet would be Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Vice President and Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan. The AFC declaration that it intends to raise the matter at Cabinet would be a stern test of coalition unity as Granger and APNU have tried to play down the controversy swirling around Harmon, a key aide and confidante of the President. Granger has attempted to draw a line under the controversy and Harmon yesterday pointed to the President’s intervention as grounds for not saying anything further on the matter. However, critics have said that Granger’s response to the matter has been inadequate and there are still many questions unanswered.
The disclosure of Harmon’s appointment of businessman Brian Tiwari as an advisor to the government triggered an avalanche of criticism and further disclosures which have left the administration groping for answers. Within a day, Granger rescinded Tiwari’s appointment saying that his services were not needed. However, the government then faced accusations that Harmon had interfered with the Guyana Revenue Authority and halted its planned seizure of vehicles belonging to controversial Chinese logging company, Baishanlin. Further, at the point that Granger cancelled Tiwari’s appointment, both Harmon and Tiwari were in China. A fresh set of questions have emerged about this trip including who funded it and the nature of the business that the two conducted in China.
In its statement, the AFC also said that it is committed to responsible and transparent governance and looks forward to the conclusion of the Code of Conduct for government officials and the application of same. The APNU+AFC government has been criticised for not finalising the code 11 months into its administration despite having promised this in its pre-general election campaign.
“The Alliance For Change reiterates its commitment to the Coalition Government while recognising that the principles of good governance, transparency and equal opportunity are fundamental to the success of the Coalition’, the party, which holds 12 seats in Parliament, said.
Rodney CoI
On the question of the Rodney CoI, the AFC said “…the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the death of Walter Rodney should be released to his family and the party supports its early release to the public.
“The AFC is of the view that the report affords the country an opportunity to address a difficult period of its history and hopes that it forms the basis for national healing and reconciliation.”
The CoI found that Rodney was the victim of a State-organised assassination on June 13th, 1980 and this could only have been possible with the knowledge of then PNC Prime Minister Forbes Burnham. Granger, who is now leader of the PNC’s successor, the PNCR, had denounced the report.
“When you look at details of the evidence provided it is clear that the report itself is very badly flawed and we intend to challenge the findings of the report and the circumstances under which that report was conducted. That is all I would like to say at this time on that Report but it is terribly flawed”, Granger had said.
The PNC had long been suspected of being behind the killing of the famous historian and Nagamootoo and other leaders of the AFC would have held similar positions in their days in the opposition.
Audit reports
On the numerous controversial audits that have been done of state entities, the AFC said that the party is of the view that the series of audit reports into “apparent irregularities in various government agencies should be supplemented by a review by experienced independent international forensic auditors and thereafter submitted to high quality external professional independent legal advice with a view to proceeding to prosecution where warranted.”
Many questions have been asked in public about what the APNU+AFC government intends to do about the audits and their findings.
On Thursday, AFC Leader Ramjattan had told Stabroek News that the party would take an independent position on both the Rodney CoI and Harmon’s appointment of Tiwari as an advisor after discussing same at the executive level.
“Some people feel it is just Ramjattan’s opinion on the matter. So it is important that all these other members who sometimes feel we are too controlling and influenced to democratize the process, to give a broader statement that would incorporate the views of all,” he had said.
