Dear Editor,
‘The situation looks dread’ as the Rastafari would declare. The fire ain’t burning only at the top, it’s burning at the bottom too.
If observers believe that it is only the big ticket issues that matter they had better think again.
True, front page headlines pertaining to controversial issues such as the $605 million drug and body bag purchases, the Pradoville 2 investigation, the ‘missing’ GTT US$5 million shares, the parking meter contract, and the impending State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) legislation versus State Assets Recovery Agency’s (SARA) role will continue for some time into the future to be the flavours of the day.
Incidentally, there appears to be a division of labour in the media in respect of who goes after what. One section of the media has opted to emphasize the controversial $605 million drug purchase while another has elected to go in hot pursuit of the Pradoville 2 investigation. Fair enough. No problem, we can all live with that; after all it’s open season now.
But there is trouble brewing in other quarters down below, and it will fade away only if the aggrieved parties give up and the media consider these occurrences as unnewsworthy and turn a blind eye to what others deem as interesting developments in ‘interesting times.’
Take, for example, the 14-year-old unchanged leadership at the Guyana Public Service Union and the allegation that the union has not been audited for several years. This is neither fake news nor is it new news. The charge had been festering for years now. Yet the status quo remains intact. Observers are of the view that it is time for change further down the road from SW Shiv Chanderpaul Drive and South Road to SW Regent and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive.
Then there are the vicious attacks mounted by a choir of revenge seekers on the Guyana Human Rights Association just because it has taken a principled stand in respect of the role and place of the secretive SARA and the controversial nature of the impending draconian SARU legislation.
We have come a full circle from where we were just prior to 1992. ‘If you’re not with us you’re against us’ seems to be the clarion call. Let’s await 2020 to see if what can happen now will happen then.
Interesting occurrences are also unfolding within the legal fraternity. The Bar Association has moved a vote of no-confidence against its sitting President. This move seems unprecedented. At the ventre of the controversy is an allegation of misappropriation of funds by one of its own from an ailing woman. Members of the Bar Association are becoming restless in their push to remove the stain of malfeasance on their organization, which should be the last to be perceived as harbouring such social maladies.
Mischief seems to be afoot at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI). Allegations have surfaced concerning the validity of the elections and calls have been made for a re-run of the said elections. The allegations have been shot down as inaccurate and doubts have been raised over the sudden influx of sleeping members to influence the outcome of the elections. Observers shouldn’t be surprised if the matter ends up in court.
Finally, there is the disappointing pass rate at the recent Professional Nurses State Final Exams. A ton of explanations were served up from the very beginning when controversy arose at the first sitting of the exam. The public is none the wiser in the wake of allegations and counter allegations from the student nurses, the Nursing Association and the Ministry of Health.
At the end of the day the perception is that the student nurses are the victims and the losers.
Taken together it should be clear to all and sundry that we have a serious governance problem in Guyana. And it permeates from top to bottom.
In view of the fact that there is trouble all around, the brand of governance that coheres with modern principles of openness, probity and financial prudence is badly needed everywhere and not only at City Hall.
Yours faithfully,
Clement J Rohee
