-says it should lead by example
The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) yesterday lashed out at government’s intention to arbitrarily use polygraph tests on employees within the operational arm of the state.

Patrick Yarde

And the union contended that since government attributes such high credibility to the tests, it should also be applied to those holding important  public office as well as policy makers.

The union’s comments follow  an announcement by lead government spokesperson Dr. Roger Luncheon who had said that the government has moved to add polygraph testing to the other tools used to ensure integrity in the system.

He also confirmed that government has encouraged those agencies whose staff have failed the test to treat with them the  same way as  when several Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) employees were fired last year.

However Luncheon said government ministers and permanent secretaries are exempted from the tests.
At a  press conference called specifically to address the issue, GPSU president Patrick Yarde  said he has observed government’s intention to use the tests but noted that the government should do the decent thing  and lead by example and have those involved in policymaking, including ministers and permanent secretaries, undergo the tests.

“In this new initiative the government has blatantly  and immorally exempted holders of important public offices and policy makers, including government ministers and permanent secretaries, from such tests; persons who are required by oath to lawfully and faithfully discharge their functions with outstanding and unquestioned integrity,” Yarde stated.

He argued that government should do the decent thing and lead by example.
Yarde said he finds the situation appalling and disturbing because within recent times many such functionaries have been the “butt of criticisms and allegations of corrupt practices, abuse of public funds and even criminal conduct.”

“It is puzzling  to understand why such individuals should not be required to be tested equally … with a view to determining their innocence and fitness to occupy public offices and positions,” he argued.

“Why don’t the names of those being called in those revelations … as a first step… let them take the tests,” he declared.
”It could be used as  a political tool to determining  who is politically correct and who is not,” he added.

Further, Yarde explained that the union is holding to its position that polygraph testing is not only illegitimate but unacceptable in so far as it is used  as the basis for determining the truthfulness or otherwise of those tested.

He noted that it is widely recognized that this mechanism is the subject of serious limitations and is by no means flawless. He said he felt this was a fact government is choosing to turn a blind eye to,  disregarding this to the detriment of persons, their families and relations, all of whom  could be seriously prejudiced as a result of the tests.

Yarde added that because this development has not benefited from discussions, inputs or contributions from relevant stakeholders and sectors, it cannot be perceived as being in the national interest.

Narrow political
objectives
Therefore, he said, the manner of its imposition clearly exemplifies narrow political objectives.
Yarde later revealed that the union was prepared to listen to any approach to  polygraphing within its limitations,  adding that there was need for discretion to be applied in its implementation.

Meanwhile the union has urged that its members, workers and the public in general  reject and oppose this “retrograde, unenlightened and dictatorial imposition.”
“Don’t take any tests,” Yarde insisted.
The polygraph tests cost government between US$200 and US$300 per person,” Luncheon disclosed last week.
Early last year  32 staff members of CANU were tested and nine of them failed the test. All nine of those employees were paid what was due to them and were sent home.

This year the new staff members were tested and the old ones retested and according to Luncheon, none of them failed.
Recently staff members of the Cheddi Jagan Inter-national Airport (CJIA), Timehri, the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) and the Police Narcotics Branch employees employed at the airport had to undergo the tests.

Four officers attached to the latter unit failed the evaluation out of 25 persons. Ten GEA fuel markers were tested and four failed while five failed of the 13 CJIA employees who were tested.

Luncheon said the services were encouraged to treat with the failures in a manner consistent with how the CANU failures were dealt with.
Government has backed its decision to implement the tests in the agencies, saying it had to ensure that the individuals working in certain departments were of high integrity.