State employees have received the commitment of the governing APNU+AFC coalition that they will be protected, once they expose instances of corruption and corrupt practices within the administration and by extension the public service workforce.

Attorney General Basil Williams told reporters earlier today that the government will continue to let state employees feel comfortable to make disclosures of corruption with guaranteed protection.

Williams made the statement during an anti-corruption sensitization seminar with Councillors and employees of the Region #4 Regional Democratic Council and the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown.

“We are letting them know that they should feel free to blow the whistle and there will be protection,” he said.

The Attorney General told media operatives that the government has seen the importance of sensitizing its employees in a to avoid the pitfalls of corruption.

“Any government entering office against the backdrop like we did and in light of the disclosures of the forensic audits would be interested in sensitizing its workforce to avoid the pitfalls of corruption,” he added.

Williams said already charges are being laid against purloiners of state assets, who while criminal charges are pending must stay off the job lest they tamper with, destroy evidence and intimidate witnesses relevant to their charge.

This is the third anti-corruption seminar being conducted by the government, having started in Linden, Region 10 and then to Region Two.

The government intends to take this seminar to all 10 administrative regions where state employees will also be educated on the State Asset Recovery Act, the State Asset Recovery Agency, the Protected Disclosures Bill and the Witness Protection Bill.

Williams also brushed aside accusations by the political opposition of existing corruption within the government and said the opposition continues to be fooled by its own rhetoric.

“The government takes seriously its international commitment under the conventions against corruption and it pledges to ensure that the state’s assets redound to the benefit of the Guyanese people”, he noted.

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