Are the persons of the Granger cabal really honest?

Dear Editor,

President Granger, at the APNU/AFC campaign launch on January 3, said his Government is composed of honest persons. But is this really the case? Are the persons of the Granger cabal really honest? Let us consider the following, though they are many examples:-

1. The August 5, 2015, Stabroek News reported that “Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman today denied that there will be astronomical pay increases for Government Ministers and with additional allowances.” Then on October 7, 2015, Stabroek News reported “Cabinet Ministers are to see their salaries rise by 50 per cent in a move likely to generate criticism as public servants were given a small salary hike after having been promised a “significant” increase by the APNU/AFC Government. Minister of State Joseph Harmon yesterday said that he would make no apologies for the 50 per cent salary increases to Cabinet Ministers, arguing that it is well-deserved.” Hardly the signs of an honest bunch, I would say.
2. The November 23, 2017, Kaieteur News reported that “Finance Minister Winston Jordan has told Kaieteur News that there was no advance payment made to the Government of Guyana by United States oil giant, ExxonMobil.” The December 9, 2017, Kaieteur News then reported “The evidence shows that since last year, the Government accepted, and arranged mechanisms, to collect a signing bonus from Exxon. The money, which Kaieteur News understands is to the tune of US$18 million, now sits in an account at Bank of Guyana.” How honest was this?
3. The November 22, 2016, Stabroek News reported “The D’Urban Park project was financed and managed in its first phase by Homestretch Development Incorporated, a private company owned by Larry London and associates…”. The Stabroek News went on to say “The project, which was initiated in November 2015, was transferred to the stewardship of Ministry of Public Infrastructure in April of this year after evidence of substandard works on the stands surfaced in the public”. I also saw in the same article that “Patterson had revealed in the House on August 8 that $150 million provided from the Contingencies Fund completed Phase 1 of the project.

At that time, he was defending a request in the Supplementary Financial Paper No 1 of 2016 for an additional $407.6 million from the Contingencies Fund for the project. Additionally, the 2015 Auditor General’s report stated that $36.509 million from the Lotto Fund went towards the rehabilitation of D’Urban Park without parliamentary approval.” The October 2, 2017, Guyana Chronicle reported on the matter that “Also, an additional $500 million from the Consolidated Fund was sought by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure in December 2016, and was approved by the National Assembly.”

The January 5, 2020, Guyana Times reported that “The Auditor General’s (AG) 2018 report is out and among its revelations is the fact that the Public Infrastructure Ministry gave $500 million of taxpayers’ money to a private company for the construction of D’Urban Park, then could not account to the Audit Office for how the money was spent.” Was this honest?

It is hard to convince the rational-minded that the Government is really what they say they are. Not too long after the President made his remarks, on January 5, 2020, the media reported: “Government has failed to account for over $800 million spent in 2018, according to the Auditor General’s report.” Again, it appears, honest and decent is just a catchphrase without any real meaning.

Yours faithfully,
Patricia Persaud