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The PPP/C is back to its old ways


Kaieteur News ā€“ The decision of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) to terminate the contract of its General Manager signals a policy of maximum administrative domination (MAD) within the public sector. The PPP/C in so doing has reverted to its discredited policy of sacrificing professionals in preference for politically favoured persons.
Nizam Hassan, the terminated employee, is one of the more highly respected individuals within the public sector. He previously was employed within the Ministry of Agriculture and was elevated as the General Manager of the Guyana Marketing Corporation. He was later appointed as a General Manager of the GRDB following the problems, which erupted after an audit of that institution was undertaken, by the APNU+AFC.
According to reports in the newspapers, the audit uncovered irregularities in relation to the use of the Petro Caribe Fund, the issuance of promissory notes to interested parties and preference being shown to one major rice exporter.
Criminal charges were laid relating to the non-entry into a ledger of some transactions. It was never clear whether the sums involved were ever accounted for or whether the charges were simply related to an accounting procedure. No one has yet been convicted of those charges filed by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). In fact, most of those charged have been freed by the courts.
Most of the bigwigs who were part of the management of the GRDB during the period covered by the audit are now highly placed in the agricultural sector. Hassan has not been that fortunate; he has been sent packing.
When the PPP/C was in Opposition between 2015 and 2019, it appeared to have learnt from its mistakes. It came in to office promising a more inclusive approach. But the PPP/C memory is short and now that it has settled, the same old methods are being deployed.
The PPP/Cā€™s idea of inclusive governance is to hand out positions to select Opposition persons and its friends in the private sector. This is a mollifying tactic rather than one aimed at inclusion. But no one should have expected better. So long as those with a penchant to be control-freaks are involved in the PPP/C, the obsession with control was always going to be on the cards.
The PPP/C in this respect is no different from the APNU+AFC. No sooner had the World Bank agreed to provide major support for the education sector, the APNU+AFC decided to reassign its then Minister of Education and appointed someone else. It was obvious that the PNCR, the dominant party in the APNU+AFC, wanted to have one of its candidates in command of the management of this fund.
When the PPP/C came in, it announced that emphasis would be placed on agricultural research. The PPP/C, when it came into office, said that it would emphasize improving genetic and research capacity of farming and the development of new strains for paddy. No sooner had the PPP/C announced plans to boost agricultural research and development, including evidence based extension services and in the area of feed formulation, the decision was taken to remove the existing Director of NAREI and replace that person with someone who has made no attempt to hide his affiliation to the PPP/C.
A lot of money is likely to be poured into agricultural research and extension services. And this is why there needs to be transparent accounting systems to ensure that there is accountability for the sums used in research and extension services.
With the present decision to end the services of Mr. Hassan, the PPP/C is reverting to its old ways. It prefers trusted lieutenants to professional public servants.
The media has been speculating that the decision to end the services of the highly competent Hassan has to do with the problems, which have arisen in respect to payment for rice from Panama. But this excuse is like a strainer: it is full of holes.
The Panama Agreement is a red herring. Hassan cannot be held responsible for that agreement. A Memorandum was inked way back in 2014 for rice sales to Panama. The agreement later caused consternation in Panama with rice producers there complaining about the purchase of rice from Guyana. The outgoing General Manager of the GRDB therefore cannot be held responsible for any such agreement and the debt, which is owed to local rice farmers.
No one should fall for that excuse. The most likely reason why Hassan has been sent packing is the same reason that Dr. Homenaught was sent home: the PPP/C is back to its old ways.

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The writing was on the wall years ago. APNUAFC slept through it all and had never awaken from their slumber. But I cannot blame the politicians alone - once Guyanese can come together and look beyond race and class is the only time we can see the change we need so desperately. The cancer must be ripped from the root, and that's on both sides of the spectrum.

Rochelle
@Mitwah posted:

The PPP is back to its old ways or practising Cronyism and harbouring Fat Cats.

Some of us knew that this is what they would return to and we strenously opposed their election.  They cheated their way back into government with the assistance of big business and Pompeo acting for Exxon.  Under certain circumstances we should make decisions based on consequences.  That the PPP is corrupt and could not have been expected to change should have been clear to all.  It was therefore incumbent on decent minded people to do all they could to stop their election.  The Courts may yet overturn their election but ordinary citizens need to wake up to the fact that they are being manipulated by evil people who control the PPP.

T
@Rochelle posted:

The writing was on the wall years ago. APNUAFC slept through it all and had never awaken from their slumber. But I cannot blame the politicians alone - once Guyanese can come together and look beyond race and class is the only time we can see the change we need so desperately. The cancer must be ripped from the root, and that's on both sides of the spectrum.

No gurl...dem APNU boys didn't sleep. Was was sceeming foh rig election early, early...and dem tief good too.

FM
@Rochelle posted:

The writing was on the wall years ago. APNUAFC slept through it all and had never awaken from their slumber. But I cannot blame the politicians alone - once Guyanese can come together and look beyond race and class is the only time we can see the change we need so desperately. The cancer must be ripped from the root, and that's on both sides of the spectrum.

Only a third party can replace the PPP and the PNC.

The UF, WPA, and the AFC all turned out to be the same.

The PPP roots are buried deep.

R
@Mitwah posted:

The PPP is back to its old ways or practising Cronyism and harbouring Fat Cats.

The PNC taught them a lot about cronyism. The PPP is cleaning up the swamps.  First, you accuse the PPP of not doing the job and then you cry like a bytch when they get fired. The PNC hired a lot of inept professionals and it is only fair that the PPP gets rid of them. The PPP should only hire people they can trust.

R
@Former Member posted:

No gurl...dem APNU boys didn't sleep. Was was sceeming foh rig election early, early...and dem tief good too.

The PNC led APNU has been stealing since 1964 and they still do.

Led by Forbes Burnham who amassed US$360 million in a Swiss bank.

Then they couldn't account for US$2.5 billion from the National Development fund which was merged with the PNC financial accounts.

R
@Ramakant-P posted:

The PNC led APNU has been stealing since 1964 and they still do.

Led by Forbes Burnham who amassed US$360 million in a Swiss bank.

Then they couldn't account for US$2.5 billion from the National Development fund which was merged with the PNC financial accounts.

I know that you would find this amusing. Not the first time I am posting it.

Robert Corbin was in charge of the National Development Fund.

R
@Ramakant-P posted:

The PNC led APNU has been stealing since 1964 and they still do.

Led by Forbes Burnham who amassed US$360 million in a Swiss bank.

Then they couldn't account for US$2.5 billion from the National Development fund which was merged with the PNC financial accounts.

Mr Rama Persaud, so Burnham put his money in Bank of Brampton?

FM
@Totaram posted:

Some of us knew that this is what they would return to and we strenously opposed their election.  They cheated their way back into government with the assistance of big business and Pompeo acting for Exxon.  Under certain circumstances we should make decisions based on consequences.  That the PPP is corrupt and could not have been expected to change should have been clear to all.  It was therefore incumbent on decent minded people to do all they could to stop their election.  The Courts may yet overturn their election but ordinary citizens need to wake up to the fact that they are being manipulated by evil people who control the PPP.

You're giving the coalition a pass! Why?

FM

If the PPP is going back to their old ways, then you can expect them to initiate and complete thousands of projects and you can see right now, that is happening.

You can look at the PPP 2020 Manifesto and decide for yourself.

If anyone accuses the PPP of corruption. That must be followed by some kind of proof, not just speculation.

R

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