If President does not ask for Minister Norton’s resignation he will be setting a dangerous precedent
Dear Editor,
Much was promised by the President in his campaign against corruption in government. In an action not included in his election manifesto, he increased ministers’ salaries by fifty percent in the expectation that higher salaries would mitigate against corruption. But the President should know that no amount of money can trump greed.
The current fiasco concerning the single-sourcing and outrageously high rental of a pharmaceutical bond certainly challenges all credibility. Any businessman with the most simplistic knowledge of money matters would never ever take such a decision.
It is unbelievable that almost no member of successive governments has any record of success in business, yet we implicitly trust them, time after time, to run our government – the biggest business in the country! The fact that Cabinet had to be aware of that deal proves this point and makes subsequent investigation by a cabinet sub-committee absolutely farcical and an insult to people’s intelligence.
And what should public perception be when key players in a deal are seen drinking together at a night spot of coincidental interest at a time before the contract is signed?
Notwithstanding the entrance of the Minister of Natural Resources into this masquerade, the President needs to exercise his own judgement beyond the deliberations of an investigative committee. Knowing the frailties of human nature, we can expect many such cases in the future.
(After writing the above, it now seems that the Minister of Health simply “misled” the House. Let us take this euphemism for what it is – he lied to the House. And he has only to make a public apology and all will be forgiven. If this were done by a minister of the previous government, the then opposition would have rightly bayed for blood. If the President does not ask for Minister Norton’s resignation, he will be setting a dangerous precedent not for all other ministers but for all low-wage public servants as well who would expect a similar tap on the wrist when they commit a similar offence.)
Yours faithfully
Clairmont Lye
