Dear Editor,
Many of us in the diaspora are concerned with some of the actions along with apparent contradictions which are emerging in some sectors of the new administration. One of these concerns relates to discussions over the appointment of the Registrar of Lands, and the consequent res-ponse of the Attorney General as reported in your daily to the question about consultations: “Everybody we have to employ we have to consult somebody? That couldn’t be a fair suggestion” (SN, September 14). While in opposition this selection process practised by the PPP government was roundly criticized, and justifiably so. One immediately remembers the appointment of Alexei Ramotar by President Jagdeo to manage the fibre optic e-governance project and the firestorm it caused. That appointment was done without any public advertisement, interviews or selection, and the result is now self-evident. The process behind the current appointment of Rosalie Robertson appears to be no different.
We are now faced with a situation where the Registrar of Lands has been appointed and criticism of the process is met with similar arrogance. The issue is not whether Ms Robertson is qualified; it is the adherence to a process of transparency that this government promised the people.
Transparency involves having every non-political vacancy advertised and filled by the constitutional authority. If the Attorney General felt that the matters at the Registry needed immediate attention he may have been advised to have a temporary appointment made, while the process of consulting and hiring is completed in a satisfactory manner. Consulta-tions in these appointments are im-portant in identifying the skill sets desired to correct and grow the Registry of Lands. Because of the ongoing endemic problems, consultations would identify and recommend what is needed, and based on this information the interviewers would not just look for any lawyer with experience, but a lawyer who has strength in the needed areas. This cannot be achieved by hiring in a willy-nilly manner.
It was reported that this appointment emerged as a result of the selection of the best of all the applicants. I would therefore call on the Attorney General to publish the names of all applicants for this position and the list of the candidates interviewed.
I continue to support this coalition government, but will hold their feet to the fire on the promise of transparency. They must give us transparency.
Yours faithfully,
Keith Branch
