Charges against Dr Singh, Brassington frivolous, vexatious (Part 1)

Dear Editor,
The People’s National Congress (PNC)-led coalition is in a mad rush to fulfil the long-awaited election campaign promise to “lock up” People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) former Ministers of Government.
They are expending millions of taxpayers’ money on this witch-hunting expedition that has so far borne no results. I have deliberately used the term “witch-hunting” in the last sentence. The Christopher Columbus’s at the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) have finally landed on the discovery that two former Government Ministers should be charged for misconduct in public office. The charge, sale of prime State lands below market value, which is tantamount to corruption and misconduct in public office. Well, my take on that is one of utter foolishness, because if all businesses, Government or otherwise, were to conduct their transactions strictly based on harsh, cold, market prices then no one would ever succeed in this life or the hereafter for that matter.
Businesses do it, even the common small man in the street does it, we all look out for the “best deals” in the market to keep our businesses viable and successful. So, I am at a loss to know where this old English law of misconduct applies. It is just another one of those frivolous and vexatious clauses pulled out of the PNC hat of tricks, so used to harass former PPP officials. This leads me to the following:
When you elect a Government, that group of individuals are truly entrusted with your wealth, our wealth, the people’s wealth to manage in a wise and prudent manner. Technically, the Government is given full access to our funds to spend (you are not talking about managing) because that is the sticky wicket here, you are actually telling them to spend your money as they see fit, end of discussion.
And this is the big question, these were Cabinet decisions which were well planned and meticulously put together by astute technocrats and politicians alike. Teamwork, done by above board individuals, who have done their homework for our country, the results all bound up in the pleasant experiences we’ve had these last 23 years. This was caring, progressive government at its best, our country was hauled out of a place of nothingness to one of lasting prosperity. The indelible evidence is all around us in the decades of sustainable growth and development.
So, this misconduct charge must be viewed in the context of what harm did our country accrue as a result of these business deals carried out by those two eminent gentlemen? What have they done to ruin or negatively impact Guyana’s development? And the answer is none? What we can see are the many positives that came about as a result of their hard work.
I sagely believe the PNC is using SOCU and SARA to somehow mask their gross incompetence, but sadly that ruse will not work.

Respectfully,
Neil Adams