Integrity Commission, GRA have a responsibility to Guyanese

Dear Editor,
With information recently coming to the fore, some as a result of the long overdue and recently launched Commission of Inquiry into the operations of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown, I believe the need has become even more critical for the recently reconstituted Integrity Commission to turn its attention to the policymakers and administrative officials of the Georgetown Municipality if it is to improve public confidence in the integrity of persons holding senior positions at City Hall.
A section of the media has recently reported the purchase, by a senior officer of the Georgetown Municipality, of a $30 million home on the East Coast of Demerara, but failed to mention that the same officer had also purchased another ostentatious property in the Diamond, East Bank Demerara area, among others in Georgetown; in addition to massively upgrading yet another property that he owns in the South Ruimveldt Park area, all in just the last three years.
How could an officer who lived in a very modest and unfinished home three years ago, and for which his salary could easily be checked, move from having difficulties with his bankers for outstanding debts to owning several properties overnight, and to having other assets and investments, both locally and overseas, without coming under the microscope of the Guyana Revenue Authority for unexplained wealth?

Why has no net worth analysis been done of this individual and other municipal officers? Why is this individual and his colleagues not being made to demonstrate that these multiple homes, vehicles and other luxury assets were acquired using legal sources of income?
Additionally, the children of these nouveau riche are being sent to the most expensive private schools, whilst the other staffers — who are being paid late every month — are barely eking out a living. These nouveau riche are unbelievably cruel and indifferent towards their underlings.
And the revelation of the massive wealth acquired by this officer is just merely scratching the surface of the problem at City Hall. Many other senior officers and policymakers have acquired properties and other assets from the proceeds of corruption.
How much longer must the citizenry put up with the Council’s corrupt elite and their brash display of wealth? The Integrity Commission and the GRA have a responsibility to ensure that any stolen wealth, bribe, kickback and other inducement acquired by corrupt municipal officials is frozen, and ultimately returned to the citizenry from whom it was stolen.

Sincerely,
Roseanne Rodgers