Alliance for Change (AFC) leader Khemraj Ramjattan has welcomed criticism of the government by both the opposition and the wider society, while saying that it serves to enhance democracy.
“We will make a couple of errors; criticise but don’t guillotine us. The fact that the government of the day is enhancing democracy by listening is important,” Ramjattan said at a press conference last Friday.
Minister of Public Telecommunications and party executive Cathy Hughes, who was also present at the press conference, agreed that public criticism is important for a functioning democracy.
“We have a culture of corruption and it takes time to undo that culture. You undo it by making people feel safe to say this is what has happened to me. That has been my personal struggle—making people feel empowered enough to change their government if it doesn’t perform. I have said it before and I say it again: if we do not deliver throw us in five years’ time. I am happy that today more people are willing to stand up and ask questions before they stayed silent for fear of victimisation,” she said.
At the press conference, Ramjattan also accused Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo of having led the most corrupt government, which he suggested would benefit his performance as opposition leader.
“What the forensic audits have proven is that the most corrupt government was his. Those guys know the tricks of the trade better than this government ever will, that is why they are so good in opposition now. I concede that. I’m glad they know the value of space and all of that and thank god they were there to save the day in relation to the bond and open our eyes to it all. I am proud of them,” Ramjattan said.
Hughes also said that Jagdeo himself has no basis on which to speak about corruption.
“We need to remember that his Permanent Secretary had amassed billions of dollars. You are talking about corruption but your right hand man is found with billions which clearly could not have been amassed under this administration,” she said, in an apparent reference to on leave Ministry of the Presidency Permanent Secretary Omar Shariff, who is currently under investigation. Shariff has publicly denied claims that he has amassed billions.
According to Hughes, fighting corruption is about creating strong institutions. “Corruption exists at all levels of our society, so we are focusing on creating strong independent institutions so that no matter who the politician is, the institution will work and stop not just the politician at the top but the man at the lower levels,” she explained.
