Dear Editor,
Recently, work colleagues and friends of mine have informed me that almost daily they have had to come to my defence in relation to negative criticisms stemming from my association with the past administration, my health and my decision to stay on and support the new government. Professional associates, co-workers, and subordinates will attest to the objective, fair and practical manner in which I have always conducted myself at both the organisational and national levels. I have come to realise that a large part of the criticisms I receive stem from the level of bitterness and contempt some sections of the general public feel toward the past administration.
It is understandable that in any new government there will be changes and certain key positions will be affected by this change. However, I still firmly believe that persons appointed by the past administration should be given a fair opportunity to serve, especially if they were not part of the political party’s machinery. In my situation, I had a good job with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the United Nations when I was asked to serve within the public sector by the then President (how do you say no?); likewise I am sure there are others with similar experiences.
The past administration suffered from several management related problems. One such problem was that it became the norm for instructions and directives to be given verbally to senior government functionaries and public servants. I do not think it is necessary to point out the issues involved with same, but in this new dispensation, I would like to suggest that strong attention be given to the bureaucratic process for issuing and carrying out instructions. It should be made government policy to ensure that written instructions are given to senior public officials. This will allow greater clarity, transparency and accountability.
I now move to the issue of state appointed boards. I recall during my tenure as a Director at GuySuCo, many of the issues that the industry faces had evolved long before the time of my appointment. However, all the blame for the failures of the entity were laid squarely at the feet of the board at the time. It is now critical that government provides clear objectives and directions for the newly appointed GuySuCo board in addition to providing all the resources needed. In fact, the government, where they are majority shareholder in the organizations should provide clear guidelines so that performance can be measured. And performance should be measured to ensure boards are held accountable with consequences for non-performance. Importantly, subsequent board appointments should be tailored to meet the changing needs of the entity.
In addition, I have observed that on many occasions persons are appointed to boards of organisations in sectors they are not very familiar with. It is essential that a comprehensive orientation package is provided which includes a candid report of issues and the challenges the organization faces.
Finally, my advice to professional persons working in the public sector is to ensure that decisions made to push you out do not affect your loyalty to the Guyana. I will not let that happen to me. On moving forward I intend to establish a NGO to assist in educating prospective investors and ensuring that taxpayers’ monies are well spent when concessions are granted.
Yours faithfully,
Keith Burrowes
