Silence is not always the best defence

April 10, 2016 | By KNews | Filed Under Features / Columnists, My Column, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....ys-the-best-defence/

These past weeks Minister of State Joseph Harmon has been held out to be the fly in the ointment. There was the news that he had appointed businessman Brian Tiwarie as an Adviser in the field of Business. Immediately there was a hue and cry. And I could understand the reason.
The main political parties are rooted in their individual support base. On the government side there are many people who have a view of Mr Tiwarie. They see him as a man who was very close to the People’s Progressive Party. They forget that people can change their affinity.
Surely, the people must be aware that the city cleanup that is now the showpiece of the country was sparked by Mr Tiwarie and this happened almost as soon as the new government took office. Perhaps they had no objection to the appointment but to the secrecy with which it came. The appointment was never announced.
There were appointments in the Diaspora, but there was not even a whimper. These appointments were made known almost as soon as they were made. But in this case the surprise was total, so total that President David Granger rescinded it immediately. That set the tongues wagging even more.
I always say that one thing that politicians should learn to do is to talk to the people. Had there been some official comment on this situation, even before President Granger rescinded the appointment, there would not have been this fallout.
Things became even more slippery for Mr Harmon when news leaked out that he had intervened to halt the repossession of some luxury vehicles owned and operated by BaiShanLin. The report was that the Guyana Revenue Authority was moving to repossess the vehicles for failure to pay the necessary duties.
The previous government had granted some concessions to investors to spark the economy and to encourage the investors. Many took advantage of this by importing vehicles that had nothing to do with their investment, hence the call for the necessary duties.
Again, an explanation from Harmon or the authorities would have sufficed. It could have been that BaiShanLin might have called to say that they were preparing the necessary duties hence Harmon’s action. But the silence merely fuelled speculation, especially since Harmon himself had told reporters that he was going to explain everything then failed to do so.
In the run-up to the elections, there was talk about corruption. This sparked the forensic audits that revealed many irregularities. The nation followed the revelations and became restless when the expected police action failed. This added to the speculation that there is corruption in the ranks of the present government.
In fact, the opposition is helping people to believe that there is corruption. Bharrat Jagdeo says that the government people are shaking down the business community. Then he turns on the audit and accuses the auditors of being political hacks out to embarrass people close to the People’s Progressive Party.
Where this will end no one knows. Suffice it to say that things can only get worse unless someone steps up to explain what is happening. For now poor Harmon is under the gun and he seems to have disappeared from public view. Whenever he steps into the open reporters flock him and question him, but he says nothing.
This is not helping David Granger because he, too, is saying nothing. No one can blame him of being corrupt, because he is not. But he comes over as someone who is too quiet.
Meanwhile, the pressure is still on Harmon and the rumours are flying. He is being seen as one who has joined the ranks of the corrupt. I have heard people talking about him being in cahoots with Jagdeo’s people.
When Winston Brassington left Guyana despite the investigation, the society was up in arms against the people who they said allowed Brassington to escape prosecution. Then came word that Harmon had travelled to Florida and actually met and had lunch with Brassington. That did not help his cause, because people saw him as providing cover for Brassington.
The truth is that things are not always what they appear to be, but to avoid any distorted impression, one should simply explain the situation. But at this moment there are many people who are providing information on things that they would have known a long time ago.
One man even provided information on the move by the government to settle a legal matter involving Mr Tiwarie. This was to be expected, because the legal action began during the tenure of the previous government, so this government inherited it.
Because of the relationship between the government and Mr Tiwarie, there are people who believe that any settlement would favour Mr Tiwarie immensely. The initial report was that the matter had been settled for $1 billion. In the wake of the report, Attorney General Basil Williams flew into a huff and has threatened legal action.
I would like to see the outcome of this suit. I am not aware that misreporting could be libelous.