Dear Editor,
I read in the Indian newspapers that the Supreme Court of India has ordered an enquiry into allegations that the Chief Minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh (where many Guyanese trace their roots), Mulayam Singh, has acquired assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. Many politicians in India are often called before the courts to explain their wealth as a way to discourage corruption. Many of these politicians have been charged for corruption when they can’t account for their wealth. I also know other countries have similar laws like India requiring public officials to account for their sudden wealth although in some countries the law is not enforced.
I am not sure if Guyana has such a law relating to public litigation. If it does not, then consideration should be given to adopting such a law. It would help to reduce, if not prevent, corruption by public officials. No one should amass wealth by misusing his or her power and authority – accepting kickbacks or siphoning funds from public projects which hurt the country. A constant complaint by respondents whenever I conduct polls in Guyana is corruption by public officials. But from my experience in Trinidad and other countries it is difficult to prove corruption in a court unless there is solid evidence.
And I don’t know of corruption cases being successful in Guyana. I know Bro. Eusi Kwayana exposed corruption during the late 1960s and 1970s and no action was taken against the perpetrators. In fact, corruption became institutionalized.
Graft has been a way of life in Guyana; if you want anything done you just pay a bribe. Otherwise, the bureaucracy moves at a snail’s pace. President Jagdeo can’t just simply lock up people or fire staff because there are complaints of corruption – a demand by most people who I interview in surveys. The complainants have to provide solid proof in order for a prosecution to succeed otherwise the state (or the President) would be burdened by lawsuits for monetary damages.
Short of obtaining evidence to charge people involved in corruption, I believe public officials and their families should be required to explain how they acquire sudden wealth. And failing to provide adequate explanation, their wealth should be confiscated in addition to facing criminal penalties as in India.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
Editor’s note
Under the Integrity Commission Act the President, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ministers, members of the National Assembly and many senior civil servants and public officials are required to file an annual declaration of their assets and liabilities and income. Many have not complied and the Commission has not been very active. In Trinidad under similar legislation former Prime Minister Panday was charged with failing to declare a foreign bank account.
