Why our society “could not survive” under the APNU/AFC?

Dear Editor,
Guyanese must “start raising hell” over the recent revelations of the former APNU/AFC Government’s waste of taxpayers’ monies, fraud, and questionable contract, misappropriation of funds, which are all serious crimes, let’s urge our PPP /C Administration to continue to reveal these wrongdoers and let them face the law. The APNU/AFC coalition had put this country through five tumultuous months as it desperately tried to alter the results of the election and illegally hang on to power even though they were massively defeated at the March 2 polls.
This was the same APNU/AFC that had been illegally occupying the seats of Government for some two years, since it delayed the holding of elections in March 2019 – which was constitutionally mandated after it was defeated by the passage of a No-Confidence Motion in the National Assembly.
One must not forget it was our Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo who told the National Assembly during his virtual presentation which made it crystal clear that the country will, in time, be “shocked” by the revelations of high fraudulence by former officials of the Granger regime including instances of bribery. Guyanese, we have already seen the “criminality” that took place at NICIL where the largescale transfer of resources obtained, again, involving many high officials of the past Administration, who were “neck-deep” in those transactions. Former Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson and former General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, Rolston Adams were Monday charged jointly with allegedly defrauding the Bridge Corporation of $162,635,015.
They were granted $200,000 bail.
Patterson and Adams were both in the spotlight as of recent for receiving expensive gifts from agencies which fell under their preview, Patterson while being former Minister of Public Infrastructure and Adams General Manager – something which Patterson denied at first, but after evidence surfaced on the purchases, Patterson buckled under pressure and admitted receiving the gold band, these sagas and “their deep involvement in an attempt to fraud the people of Guyana.
Guyanese, it must be noted that we desperately needed “to turn the corner” on the practices of the APNU/AFC that had caused our country to go down in flames”. What is unfolding in front our eyes are a clear indication why our society “could not survive” under the APNU/AFC, “the blatant waste of taxpayer dollars”, which had threatened “to drag all of us down with it” through ever-increasing taxes, inferior public services and the undermining of a meritocracy.
As recent as Friday, over $34 million dollars was unaccounted for in Region 10.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration is only in Government six months and the Auditor General’s Audit reports have revealed multiple incidents of fraud, corruption, waste of taxpayer funds and public sector mismanagement resulting from the absence of or weak controls and inadequate supervision.
The report disclosed missing documents to cover up fraudulent activities was “a matter of routine”
The Auditor General also cited missing funds that could not be accounted in some instances.
Many Government contracts were put out to competitive bidding where the Government’s Tenders Board was routinely bypassed in the awarding of contracts that should have gone before it, all these done under the former APNU/AFC Government.
These people needed to be held accountable for the way in which they have used taxpayer monies. Where’s was the accountability and responsibility? Guyanese, “It’s our money they’ were spending. If you didn’t do your job back then you should be held accountable. The only way we’re going to return to the equitable enforcement of the rule of law is if this is done. There has to be a line in the sand that can’t be crossed. They should be held to task. It’s just ridiculous.”
Guyanese must demand accountability from the former APNU/AFC Government. It is in every citizen’s interest to demand higher standards from politicians and the public service, otherwise, their financial well-being will be directly impacted – as it has already been done under the former APNU/AFC Government – through higher taxes to pay for excessive and wasteful Government spending under the previous Government
We’ve got to get this out of the system, It’s just killing us.
These matters highlight the need for greater transparency in the public procurement process, the PPP/C Government has taken that giant leap already showing that public office holders have a general duty to act in the interests of the nation as a whole and owe a special duty of care to our citizens.

Sincerely,
David Adams