Slap on the wrist or will the hammer fall?
Kaieteur News – It is now becoming clear why David Granger lost the Presidency. Litany plotted improper conduct, renegotiation of conduct, mismanagement, incompetence and personal aggravation, practiced within his government, to alienate large sections of the population and detract from serving the people.
Many of those in senior political positions now seem to be more interested in serving themselves first, rather than giving preference to those who elected them. Instead of focusing on fulfilling the promises made to the people, some Ministers were busy doing their own thing.
The gifts scandal shows just how messy things were from the start. Giving expensive invitations to their supervisors is not just a matter for government departments. This is a malice in public office for which there should be sanctions.
All this abuse of power was happening while the government was pussyfooting with development. But at least it explains why the APNU + AFC government couldn’t really get hold of government issues. Some of his personnel were busy feathering their own nests.
Not one major infrastructure project was conceived under APNU + AFC. Five years had passed and the Coalition government had nothing to show in the field of major infrastructure projects; all that was done was to complete the projects, which were inherited.
The construction sector was in shambles. It is only now being made public how many large contractors were receiving hundreds of millions of dollars that are now alleged to be offensive in their work.
Secret land deals were being made. Principal lands were being distributed and in some cases even before full payment was made and without the consent of the beneficiaries.
Now, the bombshell disclosures have emerged that Ministers are getting expensive gifts, including jewelry, electronic items and home furnishings. It is even alleged that there are calls for specific donations to be sent on a specific date.
The allegations are outrageous. There is nothing wrong with people giving or receiving gifts. But if I’m a company Director and receive some really expensive gifts from my staff, I’d want to know that it wasn’t company money. I would never find myself asking anyone to ask for any gift on my behalf to determine what that gift should be and when it should be delivered.
Staff like to show their appreciation. They would usually buy presents for the boss’s birthday. Nothing wrong with a handbag, tie or box of tissues with the initials of the head engraved on the hankies. But a cricket band, bedding sets and home furnishings, laptops and tablets? If the staff spend their own money, that’s fine. But not the company’s funds!
If any of my staff ever gives me a gold bracelet, I would want to know where the money to acquire the same came from. You cannot take company money for such extravagance. A bouquet of flowers or a pen may be able to pass muster but not expensive jewelry and definitely not bedding and other household appliances.
The allegations of abuse of public funds, now leveled against the Granger administration, are outrageous. They represent a stain on the Granger presidency. He is known as an upright man. But these accusations are not as contemptible as the AFC’s disgraceful attempt to defend what was happening.
Specific behavior is inconceivable. Leaders must put distance between themselves and participants. If accepting expensive gifts does not impair the recipient’s integrity, then what is to prevent a contractor from being extremely generous with government officials, including paying for medical attention in New York?
David Granger was disappointed by his government. They failed him and are largely responsible for him becoming President one term. He has been betrayed by many around him, including those who jetted to the far corners of the world with powerful business interests; they were the masterminds behind land donations and those who would have signed contracts in violation of the acquisition laws he was not aware of.
A good leader should always have persons with an ear to the ground, not to feed him gossip but to let him know what is going on in his administration. A leader cannot know everything but there are some things, which cannot be kept secret. A strong leader will hold those responsible, including after the fact.
David Granger is no longer the Leader of the Opposition. But he remains the Head of the APNU + AFC list. It has the authority under the Constitution to recall or remove people from that List.
He now has a better idea of who the vagabonds were that led to his fall as President. He also knows what is expected of him now.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper.)