USE THE CAMERAS NOW TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE WAS NEGLIGENCE
PEEPING TOM
Kaieteur News
July 19, 2004
Guyana does not need just economic growth. It needs to embrace higher standards in public life and especially the principle that public officers both high and low should be held accountable for their actions. In fact, we can argue that even higher growth without improved standards will not propel us forward.
A Guyanese has been charged in the courts in Trinidad and Tobago for taking a gun into that country, even though from all accounts he seemed to have mistakenly left Guyana with the weapon for which he is a licensed.
This has not been the first time that this sort of thing has happened. Years ago, the former Minister of Finance, Asgar Ally, also mistakenly forgot to take his firearm out of his briefcase and he too was charged overseas. When the court found out the circumstances of the case, they let him off. Shamelessly, the Guyana Consulate in the country was not very helpful to Asgar Ally and it was only due to a reference he received from former President Hoyte that Ally was able to be set free without either a fine or a custodial sentence.
The lack of representation by the consulate is an example of why we need to embrace higher standards. In any of the developed parts of the world, the failure of an embassy or consulate to provide effective representation to one of its nationals would lead to dismissals and reposting. This did not happen. As far as I am concerned, I cannot respect those from the consulate who were involved in not representing Ally effectively.
We need standards and a good way to begin introducing standards is to have oversight of personnel. A man passed undetected through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with a gun in his suitcase. Someone has to answer for that. There can be no excuses because of the consequences of future security lapses. Are we going to wait until something serious happens before we take action?
The international community implemented stricter regulations governing ports of exit. And the international community, you can be certain, were briefed about this recent security lapse at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
A thorough investigation must be conducted into this matter and anyone guilty of negligence ought to be disciplined in the strongest way because Guyana cannot afford to have security lapses. Should sanctions come our way because of lack of effective security at our airport, it will destroy our country. Tourists will be reluctant to come and flights out of Guyana would have to be rerouted to other countries where the necessary security checks can be made.
What about the expensive scanners that are supposed to be on site to screen suitcases? What about the cameras that are supposed to monitor everything that goes on at our main international airport? Were these working? If they were, then the tapes can be reviewed to see whether there was negligence in the security checks.
I take this matter seriously because in any other part of the world, there would have already been launched an investigation into the incident.
We need to hold officials accountable for their actions and to take disciplinary action. We cannot be setting the wrong example. A few years ago, a Minister of the government received an advance from the funds of the Georgetown Hospital. For this he and whoever authorized it should have been censored because this was irregular use of taxpayers’ money. But because the Minister was allowed to get off scot free he had the temerity to pretend that he did nothing wrong.
There are seven principles embraced by a public service company in the UK known as UKERNA. They have set out for their officers these seven principles so as to ensure high standards in public life.
I wish to recommend unchanged these seven principles, which should be pasted up in every government office or building. Instead of having the picture of the Head of State in every public building, let us frame these principles as a reminder to public officers of their responsibilities and as an indication to the public of the standards by which public officials are to be judged. The seven principles taken verbatim from UKERNA’s code of conduct are:
1) Selflessness: Holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.
2) Integrity Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organizations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.
3.) Objectivity: In accruing out public business including making public appointments, awarding contractors recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices based on merit.
4.) Accountability: Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.
5) Openness: Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.
6) Honesty: Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in way that protects the public interest.
7) Leadership: Holders of public office should promote principles by leadership and example.