Dear Editor,
Corruption has pervaded all strata of government in this country, be it at the central government or the local government level. However, the focus has always been on the central government, with little or no emphasis being placed on the corruption which has been destroying the very fabric of social and economic development at the grass roots level.
On the APNU+AFC campaign trail I found myself following a similar trend and attacked the PPP/C as being a corrupt government which showed little respect for taxpayers’ dollars, but I was shocked out of my senses when I was appointed as the Regional Executive Officer of Region 6 and came face to face with the massive corruption in local government from the level of the Budget Proposal, to the process surrounding the Tender Board to the certification of works.
It is at this level that I saw the true meaning of ‘social and political cohesion’. I saw another form of coalition taken a step further where the APNU, AFC and PPP/C came together to fight in favour of corruption. Not against corruption and the common enemy was Dr Ramayya.
It was all done under the façade that I was not attending the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) statutory meeting. However, it is important to note that there are 2 Deputy REOs in the Region and that on some days I had meetings and appointments to keep elsewhere.
Firstly, the formulation of the Region 6 2017 proposed budget is the epitome of a problem in Region 6 and had no input from myself, the Chairman, the National Democratic Councils (NDCs) and other stakeholders. It is only in a few hands and this is exactly how the costs of works can be inflated and works which do not need much resources are given priority so that the contractors will benefit and can give a big ‘kickback’ to the boys! This is where the corruption starts and then flows towards the certification of the substandard work.
Furthermore, there are many instances where some of the work projects in the 2017 Proposal are in excellent condition having been done only recently. For instance, drainage canals at Gibraltar/Fyrish, roads at 52-74 NDC, a bridge at Wellington Park, etc. This will be easy ‘pickings’ for the contractors.
From the inception I made a valiant effort to stop corrupt practices. I implemented the biometric clocking system at the Regional Office which was the brain child of the PPP/C when they were in Government and which was supported by the Chairman and the Public Service Union yet the RDC Council moved a motion to vote against that system. This was supported by the APNU, AFC and the PPP/C councillors.
Then I tried to stem the rape of the Region’s resources by capping the gas expenditure expense of a regional official. However, all of the parties opposed my move.
The pertinent question is: Why were the APNU and AFC Councillors supporting the PPP/C? These councillors saw me as a threat when I began publicizing the corruption taking place at the hospital where major and costly works were treated as ‘emergencies’ and not tendered thereby benefiting the friends of a certain Regional Health official. I also exposed the drugs shortage and the single sourcing of drugs and supplies and the atrocious conditions existing in the hospitals, especially at the New Amsterdam (NA) Hospital. The single sourcing was done without my knowledge and the only time I became cognizant of them was when the vouchers were brought for me to sign. This type of ‘skullduggery’ greatly enriches the pockets of the Regional Officials so I became an immediate threat that had to be gotten rid of at all cost.
In addition, I questioned the huge and costly amounts of dietary supplies which were purchased on a regular basis and which never seemed to reach the patients. Millions were spent on these yet patients were suffering from the shortage or poor quality of dietary items. Further-more, I unearthed instances where items supplied had variations in prices from the same supplier. Toilet paper is supplied at $2,500 per bale and the same toilet paper is priced at $4,300 from the same supplier. The regional officials feel that I should never have done these things and that I should just sit back and enjoy the ride. But that is not what I fought for all these years on my programme ‘Issues of the People’. The consultation to do the electrical wiring of the NA Hospital was another sole sourcing job done to enrich the boys. One million dollars was paid for this ‘emergency’ work. Why was this not tendered out?
Plumbing works were also done through single sourcing with no tendering done and again I became aware of this when it was time to pay the bill.
I had also exposed the cleaning of the septic tanks at the NA Hospital and the outrageous amount of monies paid. This again is the product of sole sourcing and cronyism.
There are also major questions surrounding the conduct of the Regional Tender Board and the manner in which certain contracts have been distributed.
Then the sub-treasury came on the scene to make me look bad. Over $70 million in cheques were sent back for spurious reasons, even cheques for my expenses. I was being attacked on all flanks and PM Nagamootoo and AFC Leader Ramjattan offered no support. They are too busy enjoying the fruits of my labour! Everyone is enjoying ‘abee time’!
I have been deemed to be ‘incompetent’ but not ‘corrupt’ and that I can live with!
Yours faithfully,
Dr Veersammy Ramayya
