Before proceeding with today’s article, we refer the response by Guyana’s Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance to a question posed by the United Nations Human Rights Committee. The question relates to allegations of corruption against a very senior member of the current Administration and the failure of the Government to initiate an investigation into the matter. In response, the Minister stated that no formal police report had been filed and that without such a report, law enforcement authorities were unable to launch an investigation.
One recalls when allegations of corruption were made against a Minister under the Hoyte Administration, the President appointed a Commission of Inquiry to examine the matter, and the said Minister had to resign to facilitate the investigation. President Ali should therefore do the same if his government is serious about fighting corruption and bringing about the much-needed improvements in Guyana’s standing on Transparency International’s Corruptions Perceptions Index. If the report of the Commission indicates criminal behaviour or breaches in Guyana’s laws, it should be forwarded to the law enforcement agencies for further action. The first task, therefore, is for the President to appoint a Commission of Inquiry as a matter of urgency.
