Behavioural Science Academic and best selling US Author, Steve Maraboli argues that apologies are not important if there is no strong indication that there is going to be a serious change in one’s approach or future actions.
In fact, he is quoted as saying that “Behaviour speaks… I need not listen to someone’s apology; I’ll watch for it. I’ve learned not to let someone’s words blind me from their behaviour.”
Another Indian Author, Amit Kalantri agrees with Maraboli but puts it a bit differently. He said: “If an apology is followed by an excuse or a reason, it means they are going to commit same mistake again they just apologised for.”
This line of thinking can apply to the political culture existing in Guyana where some politicians and high-ranking officials believe that it is okay to distort facts, tell blatant lies, mislead the public; and they offer a blanket apology after public outrage over an issue or they are caught in Charlotte’s web.
Recently, Public Health Minister Dr George Norton and by extension President David Granger’s Cabinet attempted to practise this sort of politics in a desperate bid to hoodwink citizens and hide what was obviously a case of massive corruption and the misuse of public funds so that ulterior business and political motives could be realised.
Dr Norton told the Committee of Supply of the National Assembly that he had to spend some $12.5 million for rental of storage space at a warehouse facility for pharmaceuticals as a result of an emergency while asking for approval for millions more up until December this year.
He also told the Assembly that this would save taxpayers millions of dollars monthly as the NEW GPC INC was charging over $19 million for storage space compared to the other company, Linden Holding Inc which is owned by Lawrence Singh and headquartered in a building owned by his colleague Minister Catherine Hughes.
Also, the Minister’s posture in the face of basic yet important questions posed by the parliamentary Opposition, People’s Progressive Party demonstrated arrogance and a deliberate attempt at providing half-baked responses.
Soon after media investigations, the public learnt that the Government had advanced a $25 million deposit to the company which had no experience in the storage of pharmaceuticals. In March this year, the warehouse was incomplete and there were no Government supplies stored there despite the emergency; there was no approval from certifying bodies locally, regionally or internationally; and there appeared to be a deliberate attempt to lock out competitors who could easily provide storage space, especially NEW GPC.
In comes President Granger in the midst of public outrage and orders not a CoI but a ministerial sub-committee probe even though common sense would expose the fact that this is a definite conflict of interest and a clear case of the Government probing the Government. Nonetheless, among the recommendations from the ‘probe’ were the need for Dr Norton to apologise and a review by another Minister of the contract blessed by the entire Cabinet and entered into by the Health Minister.
The truth is no apology from Dr Norton will suffice. An apology from the entire cabinet and the scrapping of the contract is a good start and demonstrative of good governance. There should be competitive bidding or an ad for expression of interest in providing the storage space.
Justice must prevail and sadly, Dr Norton should be hauled before the Privileges Committee so as to deter other government ministers from making a mockery of the parliamentary process and misleading the public. Integrity demands it and ethics yearns for it.
President Granger should also apply his Ministerial Code of Conduct to see if indeed there was a breach as some strongly feel that some Minister or official was going to get a drawback from this contract and it was not Dr Norton.
This incident is particularly embarrassing for the new government and its anti-corruption banter. President Granger cannot allow the ghost of corruption to run free, possessing senior members of his Cabinet. He cannot continue to cover for those who are short-sighted, greedy, bitter, and vengeful and who do not possess the requisite skills to manage public projects and monies.
Soon, I will reveal details about another corruption scandal within government circles involving one of Cabinet’s most controversial figures.
