Dear Editor,
The term or concept of professional ‘soup-drinkers’ appears to be gaining widespread popularity within media circles. It usually refers to persons who change allegiances based on what they may gain. In the context of the change of government, there may be such persons. Less attention is paid though, to individuals who may have been part of the former opposition parties and may now be in positions of influence in the new administration, but who, owing to flaws in their characters, may be susceptible to corruption. Editor, both categories of persons deserve attention if the new administration is to avoid the pitfalls that bedevilled the PPP regime.
The APNU+AFC coalition has vowed to dismantle the PPP’s structure of corruption. The government has also committed itself to preventing such practices within its own ranks. Those laudable goals will not be easy to achieve, particularly the latter one. Removing corrupt PPP officials may have occurred automatically with the change of government; preventing them from attaching themselves to the new administration may be somewhat more difficult. However, stopping newly installed officials from becoming corrupt may be far more difficult.
It has been noted by experts that corruption is not static, rather, it is dynamic, adaptable, and responsive to attempts to eradicate or prevent it. Corruption responds to forces of supply-and-demand. Levels of bribes and kickbacks are determined by market forces, and corrupt dealers find ways to evade and avoid systems which are intended to thwart such practices. Editor, professional ‘soup-drinkers’ will not be the coalition’s biggest problem; preventing corruption in the new government and rooting out those who may be currently compromised presents the real challenge.
The new administration may need to have a system in place dedicated to this task alone. In any case, citizens have seen the damage that corruption has done to Guyana. And the new administration must never allow such a situation to ever develop again. Systemic and administrative preventative measures must be implemented, legislative changes may be necessary, continuous feedback and monitoring must be conducted, frequent auditing must be done, and most importantly, accountability and transparency must be the standard practice.
Yours faithfully,
Mark DaCosta
