Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 05, 2017 News
By Leonard Gildarie
I have chosen a headline that has been muted. The space in this newspaper along with what is
acceptable will not allow me to say what I really want to.
There can be no other conclusion when one takes into account the news which has been coming out in recent years. We have a population that seems intent on not going by the rules or following the laws. Unless halted, we will not progress as our touted potential has promised…and we will have a description that remains just that…potential.
Our foray into the oil world will require a discipline that is lacking.
On Friday, I was heading back to office from an assignment. On the eastern carriageway of Camp Street, at the Middle Street intersection, the light was red. Suddenly, this heavily-tinted minibus, working the 44 route, came barreling from the inside turning lane. It came to a sudden, diagonal stop in front of my car. The windows were heavily tinted and the music was blaring. It was inching forward over the line as if daring the lights to go green.
I glared at the minibus. The incident irritated me. I could not help but recall a recent situation where the police force issued a statement where a minibus working in the city had to be pulled in after photos of it appeared in the media. The decorations on the bus appeared to have breached the road licence. The first time the minibus was pulled in, according to reports, it was allowed to go. Somebody had ranks, as Guyanese would say.
Daily, I stand in front of our La Penitence office and watch as minibuses and cars undertake and overtake long lines of traffic. I don’t know how they do it. There seem to be no police ranks around and drivers toeing the line appear resigned. The situation at the Eccles traffic lights is much worse. The minibuses and taxis are the main culprits. They undertake the long lines and force vehicles in the correct lanes to brake suddenly to avoid being side-swiped when the lights go green.
The faces of drivers and passengers tell an all-too-familiar story…this is Guyana and anything goes.
We hear of stories where police ranks own minibuses and these are allowed to get away with murder. I look deeper. The passengers are the ones to be blamed. Everybody wants to reach their destination early, but we complain when an accident happens and people die. The outrage lasts a few days and it is back to square one.
I was at the post-Cabinet press briefing on Friday where Minister Joe Harmon, made a startling disclosure. I am tough. I should not have been surprised, yet I was.
One entity…the National Parks Commission…has not submitted audited financial statements since 2009. How could this be? Every year, the folks at the Ministry of Finance sit for weeks to prepare a budget. We dole out hundreds of millions to entities like the commission.
The other folks at the Audit Office meet with Parliamentarians to answer how monies are spent. Yet, when it comes to our responsibilities, we are failing. Why do we have accounts staff at these entities when we, the employers, can’t even be given the courtesy of reports to say how the monies are spent?
To make matters worse, we have one entity that collects monies every year, yet for nine or ten years has not submitted an audited financial statement.
The commission is even being accused of doing its accounts in pencil. It calls to mind reports of what transpired also at the Central Housing and Planning Authority, a few years ago.
There are many other government-owned agencies which still have financial reports to submit.
We are working to correct this situation, Harmon said. The regulations say we have to submit these critical reports. The big question is why not? Who is the supervisor that lapsed?
A few weeks ago, news broke of a Brazilian-born miner who was shot dead during a gang attack in his camp. What came out of that was deeply worrying. The man is reported to have been a fugitive from Brazil. He came to Guyana, received permission to work, and even received gun licences.
How did this happen? Who did the background checks? How did he appear to be so public yet be below the radar? He was prominent in the city, conducting his business and moving about freely. The silence from the authorities has been deafening. Do we need an inquiry into this?
Every so often we have businessmen and citizens who complain that they have been rejected for firearm licences. Mind you, I am not saying that foreigners cannot come here and become citizens. Our friends and family have been fortunate to be welcomed in other lands.
We are hospitable people who have practiced integration. However, our people should never be sidelined. We cannot and should not allow it. We have to raise our voices.
I bring to you another incident. An illegal plane was discovered off a Region Nine makeshift runway a few months ago. Investigations revealed that residents knew of the illegal landings.
One man even complained about informing a former minister about illegal landings behind his home in Region Nine. The minister told him not to breathe a word. Someone later called that Region Nine resident shortly after to ask him why he was shooting off his mouth. I leave this here.
We have poor people who are jailed for a few grams of coke and ganja, while white collar criminals who stole billions are allowed to walk free. Persons with money are now turning to the High Court, in what appears to be pre-emptive action, to overturn charges in the lower court.
These are but a few incidents. The conclusions are deeply worrying.
We have to start taking care of this country. Without respect for our laws, we will not progress.
When our gatekeepers like the police and the government agencies like the National Parks Commission could break our laws or refuse to adhere to simple things like a report, we should recognize we are in trouble. The time is now to fix our problems.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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