Dear Editor,
As I travelled around Guyana, some two weeks ago and in last July, to conduct opinion surveys, I heard widespread complaints from voters about rise in corruption (real and/or perceived). Respondents in surveys I conducted in both July and September say corruption as pervasive. People can hardly identify Government officials (elected representatives and bureaucrats) whom they feel are not corrupt. There are some whom people feel do not come across as being corrupt. But it is felt that the overwhelming majority of Government officials and senior public servants are on the take.
Worryingly, people feel most of the police are corrupt, saying that Police have been demanding bribes for virtually all matters.
The overwhelming majority of respondents in both surveys say corruption is on the rise, and that the Government has been doing virtually nothing to fight corruption.
Contractors worry they will lose contracts if they speak out against corrupt officials who demand bribes to get contracts. Fear of retribution (threat of violence) discourage people from whistle-blowing or report corrupt officers. People are dissuaded from getting involved in anti-corruption matters because they feel nothing would come from their complaint, and that they would be targeted by corrupt officials or crooked Police officers. Government and the population at large need to understand that corruption weakens democratic institutions, including the rule of law. People would not want to follow guidelines and laws if they feel they can bribe officials or the Police. In time, democracy can be undermined through corruption, as happened during the 1966-thru-1992 period. Worse, corruption empowers politicians to act with impunity, as they enrich themselves while ignoring the voice of the people.
The public needs to take courageous actions to stamp out corruption. And the Government needs to put measures in place to encourage people to report on crooked cops and officials.
Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram
