In the Guyana Code of Conduct for ministers and others, Article 4(1) (b) states where a conflict is perceived to exist, the public official must report the matter to the Integrity Commission for the necessary guidance to be provided, and any resolution of the conflict must be in favour of his or her official duties. It is notable that this requirement is distinct from another level of transparency, this being the annual declaration of assets and liabilities of a public official, which must include information about a public official’s private interests. Further reinforcement to these requirements occurs in Article 4(3) (c) of the Code, where it is stated that a person in public life shall, among others, “refuse or relinquish any outside employment, shareholdings or directorships which create or are likely to create a conflict of interest”.
In the light of these concrete and unambiguously indicated requirements aimed at disarming questions of conflict of interest by holders of public office, it remains remarkable the government of Guyana is yet to respond to questionable conduct by two of its ministers, Minister in the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Yearwood, and the Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes.
According to the reports, in Minister Adams-Yearwood’s case, it has been revealed a contract was awarded to her husband by the Central Housing & Planning Authority, for which she has oversight. Yearwood was contracted by the CH&PA to construct a duplex unit, two single elevated units, and two units for the differently-abled. The contracts were signed during and late 2017; the couple was married in August, 2017.
Adams-Yearwood has since responded, saying, “I had no input whatsoever, with regard to the award of these contracts. I became knowledgeable of same when Mr. Yearwood informed me directly.”
Regarding Minister Hughes, the reports indicate her company, Videomega Productions, was awarded a contract for (G) $832,200 by the Department of Energy to produce three 60-second television Public Service Announcements. Hughes has claimed since becoming a Minister of Government, she had relinquished day-to-day management of the video production company, and was unaware of the transaction.
Many of us here in the diaspora, and other international businesses, are investing in the reconstruction of Guyana by pumping our earnings, and profits, directly into its economy. It goes without saying it is quite distressing to learn that local companies can avoid the bidding line-up and win contracts through nepotism, and other partial influences. That such conflict of interest is evident so high up in the government makes the ministers’ conduct even more deplorable.
According to Transparency International figures, last year Guyana fell by one point in its latest Corruption Perceptions Index Report, but was listed among the 20 countries that have significantly improved its scores in the last seven years. Guyana now has a score of 37, and is ranked 93 out of the 180 countries looked at for the TI report.
This nation had its best score in 2018 with 38, and ranked at 91. This 2018 score is its best yet, since in 2017 it obtained a 34 score. In 2015, Guyana was ranked 119 with a score of 29, scoring 30 in 2014; 27 in 2013, and 28 in 2012. These low scores placed Guyana in the category of corrupt countries.
The TI index ranks 180 countries and territories by perceived levels of public sector corruption, and is done by experts and businesspeople using a scale of zero to 100, where zero is highly corrupt, and 100 is very clean.
President Granger is yet to address the issue since questions began swirling around the actions of these two government ministers, and their dismal responses. It is notable, and distressing for investors abroad, that despite the APNU+AFC government being fully knowledgeable these issues connect directly to a lack of transparent conduct, questions remain unanswered surrounding disregard for the highest standard of behaviour by public officials.