Last week, sadly and frighteningly, I cautioned Guyana’s democracy is still alive, but it is very, very sick and on life-support. The pregnant signs of dictatorship in Guyana are unmistaken, and those whose voices are necessary to quash the emergence go mute. Martin Luther King eloquently stated: Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Silence of good people is all it takes to fertilise the emergence of tyrants and dictatorships. In less than two years since taking control of the government, the APNU/AFC has ruthlessly shown its stripes and exposed its lineage to the DNA and genes of Forbes Burnham and the People’s National Congress.
David Granger and his cabinet are vigorously embracing Burnham’s blueprint of party paramountcy and dictatorship, and the Auditor General’s (AG) office is an unnecessary stumbling block. It is imperative for the government to silence and castrate the AG and his office because power corrupts, and absolute power absolutely corrupts. The APNU/AFC, therefore, has embarked on its strategy to intimidate and harass the AG. When the Minister of Finance accused the AG of being disrespectful, it was a dog whistle warning to the AG to be part of the team or pay a heavy price. This is what happens as dictatorship emerges and reminds us that the worse abuse is the abuse of power.
Corruption is a major weapon for tyrants and dictators, and corruption is the biggest business in any dictatorship. We can learn from other countries, but we actually can learn from ourselves. When dictatorship ruled in Guyana under the People’s National Congress between 1964 and 1992, corruption was king. During all that time, the People’s National Congress ensured that the AG and his office were marginalised, diminished and castrated. In fact, the most significantly effective instrument slowing, reducing and uprooting corruption and financial malfeasance in government is by the work of the AG that can systematically, rigorously and ruthlessly audit the financial records of government. This includes procurement practices and use of ALL TAXPAYERS MONEY.
The People’s National Congress took determined measures to weaken and disrupt the work of the AG’s office. For most of the People’s National Congress’ time in government, there were no AG reports. When the first democratically elected government was installed in October 1992, there was no opening balance sheet because there were no audits that were completed throughout the 1980s. The Public Accounts Committee in Parliament throughout the 1980s had no work to do since there were no auditor general’s report to scrutinize. Lest we forget, the Minister of Finance then was Carl Greenidge, our present Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Corruption and questionable transactions in government are occurring everyday in Guyana under the APNU/AFC government and its state entities. The APNU/AFC rode their hyperbolic allegations of corruption by the PPP Government effectively to win elections in May 2015, albeit with a little help from GECOM and some rigging. The infamous medical warehouse deal, the parking meter fiasco, the pesticide contract, the wind energy contract, the absolute shameless procurement practices at GWI and GPL are only some of the transactions that shamelessly rip-off the Guyanese people, but these represent just the tip of the iceberg. In less than two years, the APNU/AFC has accumulated more financial and procurement scandals that outpace corruption for any decade in Guyana’s political history. The APNU/AFC argues that rewarding their donors and friends is normal in politics. It is not normal in politics; it is normal in dictatorships.
The PPP recognised the indispensable role of the auditor general in Guyana’s democracy. For this reason the PPP provided for greater independence of the AG by a constitutional change for the AG to become an entity of parliament and report directly to the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, rather than to the Minister of Finance. Throughout the PPP’s term of office, the AG’s report proved uncomfortable to the government as it questioned many transactions. Such tension is normal, but also important for transparency and accountability. The PPP used the Treasury Report to Parliament to show how they took into consideration the concerns of the AG. They never harassed the AG. In his first report, under an APNU/AFC administration, APNU/AFC has unambiguously declared war against the auditor general. People wanted a change; they got it, but they never expected that the result would lead to creeping dictatorship and so quickly! (Send comments to [email protected])
