Corruption has become pervasive in Guyana with some Government officials compromising quality of works executed by contractors for kickbacks on projects; manipulating inside information to enrich themselves through surrogates and providing information to influential businessmen.

Ralph Ramkarran

This is according to Ralph Ramkarran, former Speaker of the National Assembly and former Executive member of the People’s Progressive Party Civic, which has been in power from 1992 to date, in a blog entitled “The Kleptocratic Republic of Guyana”. Ramkarran, who had been a party stalwart since 1962, resigned from the PPP/C in June 2012. According to party sources, Ramkarran’s resignation was triggered by abuses from party insiders following his comments on the need for the party to address allegations of corruption. However, only recently and perhaps because of growing pressure from members of the Opposition, private sector and media fraternity for the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission Ramkarran on his blog addressed the matter of corruption and Government’s unwillingness for this Commission. According to Ramkarran, since the November 2011 National Elections, several revelations have emerged of corrupt, and even potentially criminal activities by persons currently or previously associated with the PPP and who have friends in the leadership or access thereto. He added that corruption could no longer be hidden from the press and police. And, the evidence that is now present was not as a result of any action initiated by the Government without prior exposure. “It is now clear that the adamancy of the government and the PPP in refusing to acknowledge the level of corruption in the society, and to do something about it, is linked to where the corruption is located. It is not known whether Government spokespersons are still so blind about corruption that they are still asking, where is the evidence? Guyana will soon qualify as ‘The Kleptocratic Republic of Guyana,’ Ramkarran said. Without mentioning names of the corrupt bureaucrats and beneficiaries of contracts, Ramkarran narrowed his comments to persons in leadership capacities and those closely aligned to the party. He also wrote of “a group of wealthy and influential businessmen who have high political connections”. Whilst examining the various categories of corruption, the former Government insider said that there is a group of wealthy and influential businessmen, who have high political connections and access to pertinent information. He said that these men meet regularly to examine business opportunities and potential deals and map out strategies as to how their plans can go forward, and implement those plans. “They have access, through their political connections, to information of the potential opportunities that are likely to emerge in the near to medium term and are in a position to make the investments now so as to cash in on those opportunities down the road,” Ramkarran said. Another level of corruption involves some bureaucrats (government official), who are usually in charge of funds, contracts, supplies and they easily maneuver around the regulations to enable them to perpetrate their corrupt deeds. This particular group of people he speaks of, utilizes their positions to manipulate contracts so that the rewards go to them directly or through surrogates. “They establish companies with their friends or relatives and steer the contracts to these companies. This is a well known practice that is widely engaged in. They also have friends in the party leadership or access thereto”. He said that many infrastructural projects such as roads, bridges and buildings are poorly done because some contractors are forced to give bribes to many officials. He said, “It is not merely that the contractors are dishonest. They tell you openly that if they have to bribe so many officials, then there is not enough to spend on the works to complete them in accordance with the contracts and to make a profit for themselves at the same time… Of course, they willingly collaborate with this state of affairs… Many of these contractors, businessmen and suppliers of goods and services have close links with the PPP, including members of the leadership.” According to Ramkarran, “The PPP leadership is supported and financed by all of these groups and state decisions are influenced by their interests. The PPP is no longer motivated by working class ideology although it still clings to its historical connections. The reason that the Public Procurement Commission, a vital instrument in the struggle against corruption, will never be established is that the PPP is a political organization that now represents a section of the petit bourgeoisie, those three parts of which are described above, whose interests are antagonistic to those of the working class and conflict with acceptable standards of integrity.” In explaining the genesis of corruption under this Administration, Ramkarran said it began after 1997 with the State’s interest in the Community Development Committees (CDCs) started to wane and eventually withered. He stated that the CDC was created by Dr. Cheddi Jagan in 1992 with the intent of having community members equipped with contracts to help to monitor projects. Using his institutional knowledge he added, “Even though the intention was not clearly articulated at the time, the CDCs would have assisted in the transformation of the functioning of Party Groups and Bodies whose roles had to be reassessed in view of the collapse of socialism and the attainment of office by the Party. “Cheddi Jagan must have understood the great danger of the emergence of corruption which he had been fighting vehemently during the PNC years. At the same time, the focus of Party Groups needed to be shifted to development and service issues so as to keep their activities relevant to the new situation. All of that has now collapsed in the scramble which was allowed to develop for jobs, gun licences, house lots and contracts.” According to Ramkarran, despite the extent of corruption there are thousands of public servants, businessmen, contractors and others who perform services of a high quality with dedication and integrity.