Missing in action…
…the Code of Conduct If it’s one thing the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was lambasted for by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) when in Opposition was their alleged “unprofessional” conduct in the performance of their governmental office. With the Muckraker embellishing and even inventing lapses of the PPP governmental apparatus, it might’ve cost the PPP the Government. Now if you cuss out your opponents for indiscretions, then you’d better come good. So with beatific countenances and simpering smiles, APNU/AFC promised in their manifesto a “Code of Conduct” that’d guarantee they tread the straight and narrow should the people give them a crack at Government. The Code was one of the 21 promises they’d accomplish within 100 days!! Well, the people did slip APNU/AFC into office. But it’s been six months down the line – and NO Code of Conduct!! How’re folks to judge whether these self-proclaimed paragons of virtue are following their own rules. Another promise bites the dust! Two months ago, pressed to explain what happened to the Code, Trotman – who’d just asked the Guyanese people to “trust the Government” on their 50 per cent raise – said that he was “circulating” a draft Code of Conduct for comments. He explained – as a halo floated over his head – the “Code of Conduct for Ministers and Government Officials” (CCMGO) he was sending around to “stakeholders” was SOOOO thorough, wings would soon sprout from the backs of the said officials. The CCMGO, Trotman explained, was built around 10 principles: duty, honour, integrity, dignity, loyalty, accountability, objectivity, diligence, transparency, and responsibility. Now if this wasn’t a return of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table at Camelot, what was? So even though the Government was three months late at that time, folks gave them the benefit of the doubt. Some supporters might’ve even held their breath! And woe to them because Halloween’s over; Thanksgiving is nigh upon us – and still NO Code of Conduct! What happened? Pressed by reporters, Trotman conceded sheepishly that his Government hadn’t even started the promised public consultations! Trust them!! Meantime, the entire Government has abandoned its DUTY to rice farmers to find markets; shown no HONOUR in rescinding their obscene pay raises; degutted INTEGRITY when appointing REO’s; shown no DIGNITY in ostentatious revelry while the economy crashes; abandoned LOYALTY to their Public Workers’ supporters and jettisoned ACCOUNTABILITY for open-ended audits. No OBJECTIVITY was shown in firing 1972 Amerindian workers, no DILIGENCE in setting up trade desks in the foreign service; absolutely no TRANSPARENCY in the big bash splurge spending and finally, an abdication of RESPONSIBILITY of the crashing economy. But Guyanese should still “trust” them… they’re all honourable men (and women), no?
…auditors of the State organs Your Eyewitness’ wondering what happened to all those audits the Government launched like gang busters when they took office in May. The PPP/Civic Government, APNU/AFC screamed, were “siphoning off” money through various schemes and scams that were draining the treasury dry. Once the audits located how and where the siphoning was taking place, the savings alone would massively increase investment – not to mention paying “significant” increases to public workers, who’d placed their “X’s” on the line for them. So we heard about those crack auditors, Lalloo Ram and Ghoolsarran – being hired to ferret out the pilferers. But here we are, six months down the line – and the only “siphoning off” we had reported didn’t even come out of any audit. But because one PPP functionary spilled the beans! The Minister in charge of audits has since told us to “trust” the Government on the audits. They were a) just “stock taking exercises”, b) just to satisfy donors and finally c) were “confidential”! And here we thought governance was public business.
…democracy When in Opposition, APNU/AFC convinced us of the importance of Parliament to the maintenance of democracy. And today, they can just postpone sittings because Nagamootoo must keep up his frequent flyers miles? O tempora! O mores!!