WHY THE PPP KEEPING EVERYONE BUT ROHEE IN ACTING POSITION?

Former Auditor General of Guyana, Dr. Anand Goolsarran Tuesday warned that acting senior public servant appointments could be used as leverage by government against those wary of not being confirmed in their positions. 

“Once people are acting, they depend on the executive for their continued acting appointment, they depend on the executive hoping that they could be substantively appointed and indeed they have to do things to please the executive. They can’t rock the boat,” he said. 

He was speaking Tuesday afternoon at the launch of his book titled “Improving Public Accountability in Guyana.” 

Goolsarran did not point any accusing finger at anyone but observed that the Chancellor of the Judiciary, Chief Justice and Accountant General are all acting in those positions. The Commissioner of Police and the Chief Magistrate are also acting in those positions. 

Noting that seven years is the tenure of the appointment of the South African Auditor General, the formerGuyana Auditor General said he was worried that Deodat Sharma is acting in that post for such a long time. “Why would you want to have him act for seven years unless you want to control him and the fact that he is acting and then he is not qualified…he is the officer in charge,” added Goolsarran. 

Goolsarran, who is a Vice President of Transparency Institute of Guyana (TIGI) cautioned against prolonged acting appointments for constitutional offices. There should be no gap in substantive appointments longer than six months. “Why do you keep putting them to act? You do that because you want to control them. You want them to toe the line and that’s wrong.” 

He signalled that his next column in the privately-owned Stabroek News newspaper would focus on the need to introduce term limits for the Auditor General. 

Asked how Guyanese are expected to address the issue of corruption in an atmosphere of fear, Goolsarran said “to large extent is not so much fear (but) self-interest.” 

Asked how Guyanese are expected to address the issue of corruption in an atmosphere of fear, Goolsarran said “to large extent is not so much fear (but) self-interest.” 

“Putting the public interest in front of self-interest… That is lacking in this country.” he added. 

The book addresses, among other areas, the Role of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, the Integrity Commission, the creation of the Guyana Revenue Authority, the Public Procurement Commission, the Procurement Act 2003, the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act, the Audit Office of Guyana and the Audit Act of 2004.