Misconduct in office has become a new weapon for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) to intimidate and harass its opponents and to consolidate their rapid institutionalisation and descent into dictatorship. But APNU/AFC itself is the one that is absolutely guilty of misconduct in office. Two clear examples of misconduct in office are the continued negligence of the Ministers of Agriculture and Public Infrastructure to appoint Boards of Directors for two of Guyana’s most important public corporations – GuySuCo and GPL. The absence of these Boards at a time when both public corporations seem to be floating clueless, productivity clearly deteriorating, while both are accumulating incredible debts, which are likely to reach $60 billion soon, represent clear misconduct in office.
The APNU/AFC has created a new legal offence called “Misconduct in Office” and they have even disgracefully charged, without any kind of meaningful evidence, former Ministers and other senior officials that served in Government previously. It appears that the only reason for creating a new criminal offence and for charging the persons they did was that they were senior officials that dared to serve the people under a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government. In the midst of this despicable behaviour, APNU/AFC has taken misconduct in office to unprecedented levels. This column has repeatedly highlighted examples of corruption, incompetence, recklessness and gross misconduct in office, occurring every day, without respite.
The Leader of the Opposition has eloquently this past week highlighted several examples of both political malfeasance and misconduct in office. Both Ministers – Agriculture and Public infrastructure – and other senior officials of APNU/AFC have claimed that they are taking their time to find the right kinds of persons to serve as Board Members. They both claimed that they are consulting widely with people and organisations across Guyana to ensure the right people are appointed.
These claims have raised a number of questions and doubt in people’s mind. First, no one seems to know who these Ministers are consulting with because everyone and every organisation that we have talked to are unaware that the Government is consulting with anyone. Second, people want to know why it is so difficult to identify qualified Guyanese to serve on the Boards or is it that they only want persons loyal to APNU/AFC. Third, people are confused because it has been more than three years that APNU/AFC has controlled Government and yet they have only recently given thought to appointing qualified people for the Boards. Fourth, given that both of these entities were served by Boards that APNU/AFC appointed in 2015, people assume that APNU/AFC is admitting that both Boards they previously identified were people unqualified.
In the case of GuySuCo, important urgent matters must be addressed. This public corporation continues to flounder, missing their targets and production is becoming an embarrassment even for this Government. It is the reason why we hardly hear anyone talking about production in the industry. In the meanwhile, as production continues to fall, the pension fund in trouble and the Special Purpose Unit (SPU) is talking about privatisation, management is left alone to do whatever they please. The worse part of this is that the SPU is borrowing $30 billion (US$150 million) which APNU/AFC is guaranteeing. This means another burden being placed on taxpayers. To not appoint a Board to give their input and to make important decision is not just reckless, it is gross misconduct in office.
The same situation exists at GPL. In fact, the continued lengthy blackouts and low voltage situation is on the increase, instead of being reduced. The situation is moving towards the awful situation that existed before 1992. Not only blackouts and low voltage problems, but electricity losses are again on the increase. In 1992, losses amounted to close to 45 per cent. By 2015 it had been reduced to about 20 per cent. As of now, losses amount to close to 30 per cent. Even as GPL, which Guyanese have now began to deem GP-Hell, continues to embarrass the Government and disappoint people, APNU/AFC has neglected their duty to appoint a Board. Meanwhile, the CEO wants to borrow $22 billion (US$110 million) to add to the debt burden on the Guyanese people.
Given the frivolous charges of misconduct in office APNU/AFC has instituted against former Ministers and senior officials, only because they served under the PPP, it is our duty to hold Ministers and senior officials in this Government accountable and ensure that we highlight and act against misconduct in office. Adding insult to injury, the Agriculture Minister continues to confess no knowledge of what troubles GuySuCo is enduring. Clearly, citizens must act to protect the interest of our people and our country.
