-as PPP unwilling to tackle corruption
The Opposition has expressed concern over the recent sanctions issued by the United States Department of Treasury and the attendant possibility of a threat to the entire local financial system, which it feels is an indication that the PPP is unwilling to fight corruption in Guyana.
A release on Friday from the Office of the Opposition, opined that the sanctions levied against PPP central committee member and Permanent Secretary Mae Toussaint Jr Thomas-Meerabux, and PPP local government representative, Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohammed, by the United States for corruption and gold smuggling, have once again “exposed PPP’s involvement in, support for, and protection of corruption.” It added, “The PPP continues to embarrass Guyana, deprive its people of their fair share of our wealth, and put the country’s economy at risk due to greed and disdain for the rule of law.”
As far as the Opposition is concerned, this scandal goes all the way to President Irfaan Ali, referring to the allegation that Mohammed had supplied a vehicle to the President for use during and after the 2020 elections. Further, the Opposition holds firm to the view that the President has to speak on this matter, calling his silence so far “deafening.”
The release pointed out that the detention of Thomas-Meerabux by US law enforcement personnel last year was the most recent warning that the PPP was complicit with whatever activity was going on and protected her. This, it asserted, is “a clear indication that the PPP is unwilling to and cannot afford to fight corruption in Guyana,” while contending that the permanent secretary should have been sent on leave since then, in order to carry out a thorough investigation. However, it opined, since the PPP encourages corruption, these serious indications of potential wrongdoing are always swept under the carpet. “We are aware that she is but the first of a long list of senior PPP officials who are likely to face sanctions as the US policy of investigating corruption in Guyana continues.”
The Opposition therefore urged the government to take these sanctions “seriously and act within the confines of the law” so as to root out such corruption involving other party members that may have been involved in corruption, smuggling or other illegal activities. It also urged the government to conduct a risk assessment, so that it can advise Guyana’s financial institutions on an orderly way to approach these sanctions. “The PPP, through negligence and further corruption, must not turn its face from a threat to the entire local financial system. We need to carefully navigate this crisis without provoking further sanctions on any other financial institution.”
The release reminded that just as recent as last week, it had broached the topic of PPP’s poor management of the gold industry, as well as its disinterest in preventing gold smuggling. It also noted the United States position that a major factor in Guyana’s anaemic gold declaration figures for the last several years is gold smuggling. As such, it accused the PPP of allowing gold smuggling to undermine the nation’s revenue, and diverting money from education, healthcare and other critical areas, to enrich favoured persons. “Small wonder, then, that they continue to refuse to pay nurses, teachers and other public servants a competitive wage.”
Also brought up was the Vice News Guyana corruption documentary, where Chinese national, Su Zhi Rong, boasted of being an intermediary to facilitate bribes to Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo. And although at his recent press conference, Jagdeo claimed that the PPP does not engage in quid pro quos, Guyanese now have every right to conclude that the PPP has been regularly receiving bribes so that it looks the other way when it comes to gold smuggling. Further, when coupled with allegations that a company associated with Guyana Critic, a known friend of Jagdeo, received a US$ multimillion contract due to corruption, this is cause for concern that corruption runs through the PPP-run government.
Given the aforementioned, “Guyana’s government has become a leaky bucket under the PPP, and the moment it is lifted from the well; all our resources are gobbled up by the PPP’s corruption.” The release also noted that given the recent events, the international community has demonstrated little appetite for PPP corruption, and as such urged citizens, come next general elections, to make it clear that the PPP’s time is up.
Finally, the Opposition posited that the “high level of PPP corruption” has serious implications for the security of the nation both internally and at its borders, which means that government’s unwillingness to tackle corruption has placed the security of the nation in jeopardy. “Guyana needs a government that can root out corruption. We need an APNU+AFC government,” the release added.
