‘The corruption is so much I can’t take it any more’- Ramayya

By Nafeeza Yahya

REGION Six Regional Executive Officer (REO), Dr Veerasammy Ramayya said he has tendered his resignation due to “built-up pressure from all sides” and alleged pervasive corruption at the level of the regional administration. Ramayya,who resigned on August 10, 2016, told the Guyana Chronicle that his resignation was not forced. He said he resigned on ethical grounds for it was impossible for him to turn a blind eye to the corruption occurring at the regional office.

“I was not forced by anyone to resign; no one can remove me from there unless the President wants me to go. But I am at the centre of the APNU+AFC and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) people at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) level and the corruption is so much that I can’t take it any more…there are a lot of things happening and lots of lies being peddled that I do not appreciate; it is very difficult to be there and digest what is happening, so it is built-up pressure from all sides that made me take that decision,” he told the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday.

Ramayya believes that if he had not resigned, it would have been increasingly difficult for him to function.

“Even if I decided to stay on I would not be able to cope with what is happening, because one major issue was that I had to sign vouchers for work [jobs] I did not approve and that was a big concern for me and the ministry,” he explained, noting that he refused to sign some vouchers because the money requested was not awarded by virtue of procurement legislation.

He disclosed that he was asked to sign a payment for over $900,000 by the Ministry of Communities but he refused. That payment was for electrical work done at two hospitals and a health centre.

“I went there myself and found that nothing was wrong… I want to know why I have to succumb to the demands of the people to pay when there was no need for the monies to be expended. I was brought up different and cannot stay silent when things are wrong,” remarked Ramayya.

He said as chairman of the Regional Tender board, he was severely criticised for his,but believes that the problem he encountered is as a result of the composition of the Tender Board. He is of the opinion that the board should be disbanded and replaced by different persons.

To avoid complacency and corruption, Ramayya suggests that there should be a proper system put in place to avoid prejudice.

“At the Tender Board there are three people who are working together (names given) and the two PPP councillors are working together, so it’s three against two and whatever they say that is what will be awarded. I see some contractors getting eight and nine jobs, while others are not getting any… so when the people go to the ministers and complain and tell them Ramayya nah give them any work I am called and lambasted; but it is not me who can make the decisions alone and this causes a problem with me and the ministers.”

The frustrated REO said too that before persons are awarded contracts at least three quotations must be provided from at least three different suppliers or contractors. This policy was not always upheld. When the deviation from the established policy was questioned, he was met with massive resistance.

Additionally, he told the Guyana Chronicle that despite the obvious collusion between the contractors and suppliers and the regional engineers, he was blamed and labelled a troublemaker.

“When I take measures to correct the skulduggery, the people would run and complain to the ministers … the people at the regional office are lacking in work ethics and are in a sense lazy and don’t want to work, whenever I’m out in the fields I would see staff on the road and whenever I question them it brings a problem, so it prompted me to put in a time clock but that was also sabotaged because they cannot get their way.”

In the past, workers were subjected to instructions from three players with the then PPP administration and were forced to comply. Now that there is a change in administration, the very workers who were crying foul are saying “now is our time.”

Ramayya believes that plots were made to make his life miserable while noting that he is owed over $600,000 of his own money to carry out functions on behalf of the regional office. The process for him to retrieve the money used is tedious and he said that from all indication, he would not be refunded. The excuses that are provided for non-payment of the refund are frivolous.

The Region Six REO said he was unaware that he could have claimed for money to perform his duties from the regional office’s petty cash facility.

“I have bills from since January of this year that are not yet cleared, out of my own personal expense, for example there are vehicle receipts from the [Berbice] bridge that were submitted now they are blank because the ink faded and I cannot now get that money, I don’t mind, but it hurts because I have made tremendous sacrifices and I am not getting the support from anyone. The regional phone that was awarded to me is on one way because the bills were not paid for three months now,” he added.

FUTURE PLANS

As for the future, Ramayya said he is taking a break from the political arena as he is being sidelined by those who are above him.

“Right now I don’t have any consideration for no political party, the ministers are calling me and blaming me for not giving people jobs, but they never come to find out exactly what is going on… so I need a few months break and I will go back to my television programme, ‘The issues of the people,’ then decide what I will do, because whenever I speak out I’m told I’m lambasting the government but when I used to do it before with the previous administration it was ok.”

He said he will continue to speak out about the injustices facing the people of Berbice without any fear. Ramayya, an executive member of the AFC, was appointed REO of Region Six after the APNU+AFC coalition government won the national elections last year.