President David Granger’s Government continues every day to trample on the rights of the ordinary and poor people, which it vowed to protect, when it entered office back in May 2015. His Government does not appear to grasp or fully understand its role in office and its obligations to the populace. Years after coming to power, Granger’s Administration has failed miserably to better the lives of the people despite promising to do so on countless occasions. One is left to draw the conclusion after examining all of the blunders and blatant mistakes so far that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government may not be fit and proper to govern Guyana or take it into a golden age.
The recent Auditor General’s Report which was tabled in the National Assembly exposes the financial sins of Granger’s Government. It points out a pattern of reckless spending and the continued abuse of the Consolidated and Contingency Funds. The report also highlights the APNU/AFC’s inability to adhere to the laws governing contracts and procurement. This is most unfortunate because it was this very coalition that pledged itself to higher levels of transparency, accountability and adherence to the financial laws governing this country. It had lambasted the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on countless occasions for overspending, overpayment to contractors, financial mismanagement and the wastage of taxpayers’ funds. Now, these things have doubled under its watchful eyes according to the AG’s 2016 report even if no one in Granger’s Government will admit it.
Secondly, it is most unfortunate that over 5 million was spent on Commissions of Inquiry (CoIs) at the behest and sole discretion of President Granger, while citizens complain that they are unable to convince the Government that it should allocate more financial resources towards the immediate upgrade and rehabilitation of key access and community roads, better drainage and irrigation structures, more low-income house lots and better health care. The fact that so much money was spent on CoIs willy-nilly and the Government is still struggling to implement a significant portion of their recommendations is appalling to say the least. Even if one was to put aside the fact that most of CoIs were unnecessary because they were investigating matters which were well ventilated in the public before or were subject to past inquires, the Government has to explain its inaction on the findings or its inability to achieve more policy positives and solutions as a direct result of these inquiries. Also, while Commissioners who were handpicked by the President and his men pocketed hundreds of thousands and in other cases millions of dollars, public servants were struggling to make ends meet with their minimum wage salaries and yearly five per cent top up. That money could have been spent directly on the people.
Thirdly, corruption under this Government is reaching alarming levels and it is becoming clearer that the coalition will not be able to lecture anyone on this subject matter. People are stealing and filling their pockets left, right and centre. While corruption was naked and barefaced under the PPP in some instances, it is now wearing make-up and clothes. It is now more dangerous and hard to detect unless one looks closely and has insiders working as moles to expose the misuse and abuse of taxpayers’ funds. In many instances, the Government is caught shamefully defending corruption and financial skullduggery. It has to adopt this approach because it is complicit and benefiting personally and politically from the proceeds of the corruption taking place at all levels of its bureaucratic machinery. How else can you explain the fancy upgrades and renovations taking place at Congress Place or the fact that taxpayers are made to pay for the education of part-time Ministers who still appear incompetent and overwhelmed by the demands of their portfolios? How else can you explain the millions spent to ensure that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has million-dollar upgrades at his reside and office? While the politicians within this Government enjoy the ‘good life’ and fancy cakes, citizens are left to make do with the crumbs.
Fourthly, public safety and security has not improved significantly under this heavily padded and militarised Government. Everyday honest and hardworking citizens are robbed and left to the mercy of criminals. Minister Khemraj Ramjattan’s incompetence aside, the Police Force is failing to arrest the crime situation because it is busy taking political directives. It is been transformed from a professional and independent State actor to an arm of the coalition. The CoI into the alleged assassination plot against the President was an excuse to undermine those senior lawmen who are opposing the interference and meddling in day to day operations of the Force. Which fit and proper Government does that in this modern age unless its game plan is to hold onto power and influence while using the Police to suppress its opponents? Guyanese must brace themselves for hard days ahead as 2020 approaches, because this Government’s end will justify its means. It should be more focused on improving the conditions of the lawmen, boosting their confidence and ability to have better relations with the public in order to effectively fight crime, and increasing its resources. Instead, it seems satisfied with the provision of bicycles instead of motor vehicles, more financial aid, Police stations and outposts, personnel and machinery. Criminals are happy because they are not being perused as vigorously as the Government is going after Jennifer Westford and others connected to the PPP.
Finally, the Government has aimed but the mark in so many areas, including social cohesion, better race relations, protecting democratic freedoms and norms, good governance, building trust and wealth creation. It seems however to have a knack for murky politics. It has an obsession with power and control. It believes that arrogance is confidence and the creation of alternative facts is more important than telling the truth. If this Government does not improve the quality of its politics, Guyana will continue on its downward trajectory. The APNU/AFC Government must occasion a policy shift and set its priorities right. It must put people first and politics after. It derives legitimacy from the people and its power is limited.
Granger’s Government is not fit and proper to govern this democracy and until it does introspection and implements changes, Guyanese must reject them and speak out against all its excesses.
