Local corruption monitoring body – Transparency Institute Guyana – has leveled accusations of corruption against the APNU+AFC government and has noted its disappointment with the recent revelations regarding the appointment of an advisor and alleged political interference in the work of the Guyana Revenue Authority by Minister of State Mr. Joseph Harmon.

In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, the Body said the revelations have set a dark cloud over the operations of the current coalition government.

In justifying his issuance of an Instrument of Appointment to Mr. Brian Tiwarie as Business Advisor to the Government, Mr. Harmon is quoted as saying that “we have issued several instruments like these to persons both from the APNU and the AFC side and you would notice that I have signed it for many persons who have helped us in the campaign and those who have the capacity to help us further.”

Brian Tiware

TIGI believes Harmon has confirmed that the government has been using its position to employ and reward state resources, to its supporters and donors.

“By the Minister’s own admission, well-paying and prestigious jobs and other privileges were up for sale during the 2015 elections campaign in which the party stood on an anti-corruption and transparency platform. By any international standard, the conduct of Mr. Harmon and by extension, the Government, constitutes corruption,” the statement added.

TIGI expressed its complete and total rejection of this state of affairs and calls on the government to begin the process of correction by the immediate release of information on all the instruments of appointments issued by the Government and the criteria employed in such appointments.

“Recognising that the absence of transparency usually spawns authoritarianism and corruption, TIGI also calls on the APNU+AFC Coalition to disclose the identity of the donors pre- and post-elections 2015 and the amount and or value of their contributions,” the statement added.

Of equal concern to TIGI is the report, unchallenged by Mr. Harmon, that he” improperly and unlawfully” called a halt on seizure of vehicles from the Chinese logging company, BaiShanLin pursuant to an investigation by the Guyana Revenue Authority into the tax affairs of the company.

Over the past several years, Bai Shan Lin has been faced with allegations of corruption and TIGI believes recent forensic audits have confirmed that the Company has received substantial privileges and apparent immunities without honouring its obligations under the previous government.

“With Guyana languishing in the lower levels of the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, TIGI had expected that a coalition that campaigned on a platform of anti-corruption would have immediately and vigorously confronted corruption as a primary goal.”

Regretfully, TIGI said, it believes the action by Mr. Harmon and the inaction and silence of the Coalition on corruption, suggest that any expectation of early improvement in the perception of corruption in Guyana is at best premature and at worst dangerously misconceived.

TIGI said it will not sit idly as the curse of corruption continues to haunt Guyana in an anniversary year that should mark a commitment to a corruption-free future.

President David Granger has since revoked the appointment of Tiware as a Business Advisor saying there was no need for him in the government, and the GRA on Tuesday midday, seized the luxury vehicles of the Bai Shan Lin company as part of a tax probe.

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