Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira today said there needs to be a new culture in Guyana where there is zero tolerance for corruption in both the Public and Private sectors.

She said there should be zero tolerance for persons who offer and solicit bribes to access state resources and bypass legitimate systems.   

“In my mind what has to be developed consciously is a new culture that is not based on a view by some that you have to greet someone’s hand to get something but where the systems work transparently and fairly, and people trust them to do so. We need to have a new culture, where people feel that if they want a passport or they want to put in a tender for contract, we don’t have to grease anybody’s palm,” Minister Teixeira said. 

The Governance Minister was at the time addressing an ‘anti-corruption workshop’ at the Pegasus Hotel this morning.

The event was held under the theme ‘Collaborating with the Private Sector in Guyana’s Fight Against Corruption.’ 

Minister Teixeira said corruption undermines a country’s democracy, its development and the wellbeing of its people. 

“We recognize that corruption removes resources from people and the capacity for their development and wellbeing. For every dollar that is passed under the table to win a contract or to make someone wealthy, denies an ordinary person, maybe, access to a good road, or to a school or to a health centre or to more pharmaceutical drugs…Corruption denies and undermines the use of resources that are given by the taxpayers, for example, in the government’s case to enhance and improve the development of our people. And, every dollar that is removed from that by questionable activities or by corrupted practices is denying people access to better quality of life,” the Governance Minister said. 

Minister Teixeira noted that over the years, Guyana has taken steps to strengthen it fight against corruption. The country has ratified the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption, acceded to the UN Convention against Corruption and adopted the Lima Commitment, in addition to the UN General Assembly Political Declaration on Corruption. It now has in place an anti-corruption framework. 

She said in keeping with its international obligation and local framework, the Government has been taking a stance against those who seek to exploit the country’s public sector investment programme by “milking” it through corrupt practices.

Minister Teixeira said the Government wants the Procurement System, in particular, to be “fair” and “transparent,” and will fire anyone found guilty of engaging in corrupt practices.

However, she said the struggle against corruption requires a coordinated approach by a wide cross-section of actors, including those in the private sector. 

She said while the Government has a framework in place that was formulated in keeping with the Constitution, anti-corruption laws and regulations, the Private Sector must also put systems in place to weed out, and guard against corruption. 

“We are not perfect and we have to work together, the private sector and civil society to build a robust anti-corruption system. And, we have to admit sometimes that once there are humans, this will continue to be a struggle,” she said. 

The Governance Minister assured that the Government will continue to take steps to strength its legislative framework through the enforcement and the revision of laws to fight off corruption. One such law under review is the Company Act, to rectify existing loopholes.

The one day-work shop was hosted by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance. 

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