Dear Editor,
Please permit me to ask.
Is the Government in breach of the Integrity Commission Act?
After eight months in office – Have the Commissioners been appointed to the Integrity Commission?
Have the President, the VP, PM, the AG, the Ministers, the Opposition, the MPs, the public officials been complying with the laws on matters of the Integrity Commission? This Act (s13) specifies declaration by each official before 30 June each year. Can they say whether they will comply with the deadline to allow the process to get started? Just over 60 days to go.
The Act requires “full, true and complete particulars of the assets and liabilities as on the relevant date, and the income during a period of twelve months immediately prior to the relevant date….whether the assets were held by that person in his own name or in the name of any other person…..and of the spouse and children of such person to the extent to which such person has knowledge of the same….”
As the prime upholder of the Constitution, has the President complied? As the defender of our laws, is the AG compliant? Guyanese would recall that former President Granger was in breach as were many members of his Government! In fact, the last Government defunded the Integrity Commission. But, all eyes are now on the current lot. Will they comply with the law or join the outlaws on the other side? Or will they ride the past corrupted path of partial declaration mid-year until another year catches up – year after year?
Our people must not allow any government to trample upon the democracy that we fought so hard to protect. Our laws must be complied with by the lawmakers themselves!
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Yog Mahadeo
