If you do the crime; you have to do the time

– President David Granger (Part two)

Prior to being sworn in on Saturday last, President David Granger sat down with a Kaieteur News reporter at his D’Urban Backlands abode for almost two hours, discussing his plans for Guyana.
A lighter side of this interview with the President was published in Sunday’s edition of this newspaper.  In this Part Two edition, the politician answers questions pertaining to the performance of former Ministers, legislation on critical matters and of course, what will become of those who showed no regard for the country’s financial laws.
Kaieteur News (KN): What will become of the individuals like Winston Brassington, Former Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh and the others whom your party had accused on several occasions of showing blatant disrespect for the country’s financial laws?  

President, David Granger

President David Granger (P.DG): We are not interested in revenge, retribution, incrimination. If in any case someone has committed a crime, the law will be allowed to take its course but we would not be deliberately going after any and everybody. We are looking to the future but as I say again the law will be allowed to take its course against those who have been found to have committed crimes.
KN: So will the sins of some be forgiven?
P.DG: It is not about forgiveness. If people commit crimes, the law must take its course.
If you murdered your husband, I have to forgive you? No I can’t forgive you. Police have to arrest you, take you before the courts and you are charged with murder. Likewise if you steal money the police will have to arrest you.
A lot of work has to be done at the municipal level and the government level within these ministries. We want to build a core of professional, Public Servants to run the country properly and honestly.  We will be speaking with the unions and Public Servants because the efficiency of the entire government system depends on strong body of Public Servants.
KN: President Granger, you said that your party would invite PPP/C members to join the APNU+AFC unity movement. Is there any Minister whose performance you are pleased with?
P.DG: Is there any Minister I am pleased with? That’s hard to answer. We have had disappointments all around. We had motions for Trafficking In Persons, gastroenteritis, maritime accidents involving the former Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn, and calls for a Heritage Commission, which involved former Culture Minister, Frank Anthony…We have got nothing from the PPP/C actually.
KN: Not even the former Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand?
P.DG: Priya? Listen, if you visit schools in the Hinterland, you would be appalled. What we see here on the Coast is the crust of the pastry but the meat of the pastry is rotten.
KN: The ABC countries had said that their recommendations on the electoral process will more than likely focus on legislation for abuse of state resources, fair access to the media and campaign financing. Can we get any assurance that you will make serious attempts to take this into consideration before these recommendations are made?
P.DG: Yes, we have spoken to this before, actually, and we will definitely make moves to put these things in place. You can expect to see legislation on these areas and we will look at it hopefully in the Constitutional Reform Commission before Local Government Elections.
KN: Will we see forensic audits being done on agencies like the Guyana Forestry Commission, NICIL, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission by overseas specialists?
(See the answer to this and more in Part three of tomorrow’s edition)