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….was at the root of all major upheavals across the world in 2011-ReiterAnti-corruption laws are meaningless if there is no enforcement. This was the message,http://www.footlockershop.us.com/Climacool-revolution/,Transparency International Senior Programme Coordinator Zoe Reiter makes a point to Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singhyesterday, to the current administration by Zoe Reiter, the Senior Coordinator of Transparency International when the local branch, Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI) observed United Nations World Anti-Corruption Day.The event was held under the theme: “Promoting transparency and accountability and eradicating corruption.” It saw the attendance of European Ambassador to Guyana, Robert Kopecky,Jerseys NFL Wholesale China Online, Gail Teixeira, Khemraj Ramjattan, Winston Brassington, Christopher Ram,cheap nfl jerseys, Dr Rishi Thakur and Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh among others.Reiter when she made the pronouncement was at the time responding to Gov ernment Adviser Gail Teixeira,http://www.footlockershop.us.com/Adizero-feather/, who was seeking clarification as to why some of the countries in the Region scored better than Guyana on the 2011 World Corruption Perception Index.Guyana ranked 134 out of 183 countries analysed in the world by Transparency International and scored 2.5 out of 10 with zero being the worst.While it was acknowledged there were an additional five countries added to the total number surveyed causing Guyana to slip further in the rating, Reiter says this is nothing to shout about as the country can still be perceived as among the most corrupt in the region.Teixeira asked of Reiter, “Why, if Guyana has signed on to several UN treaties as against some of the other countries, and have in place legislation such as the Procurement Act, can it be outperformed by the others?” The TI official retorted that a lack of enforcement renders those things meaningless.Recently reappointed Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh in a brief presentation to the gathering took time to explain that the Government of the day is fully supportive of the fight against corruption.He extended greetings on behalf of the newly installed Head of State Donald Ramotar and said that the President had asked him to inform the gathering that he is considering the fight a priority of the administration in the execution of its duties.Dr Singh sought to enlighten the gathering of the many measures that the administration had put in place over the years. He pointed specifically to the many Constitutional Reforms that obtained in the 2001 model that is currently in place.He said that there is the establishment of the Procurement Act. He spoke also of the establishment of several Parliamentary Sectoral committees as well as measures such as the Audit Office of Guyana and the Public Accounts Committee which is chaired by the opposition among others.The establishment of the Procurement Commission however was a bugbear for one participant who told the Finance Minister and the gathering as a whole that the Government for the past 19-years has resisted the establishment of that Commission.Dr Singh quickly pointed out to the participant that it was with the consensus of the current administration which is still in government that the country acceded to that piece of Legislation.It is factually inaccurate to say that the Government for the past 19-years resisted the implementation of the Commission when it was only born out of the 2001 Constitutional Amendments.Alliance for Change Presidential Candidate Khemraj Ramjattan did not let this opportunity slip. He told the Finance Minister that while it is true that the 19-year time-line may be inaccurate it has been more than a decade since the administration has not implemented the Procurement Commission.He did call for all to take cognizance of the opportunities that now exist following the 2011 Regional and General Election and for the stakeholders to play their part in moving the country forward.Dr Ashni Singh also took time to take swipes at the Transparency International saying that there is an abundance of literature that exists documenting the concerns with and shortcomings of the international anti-corruption body.He accused the world renowned body that having a circular dependence on other corruption watchdog bodies including one affiliated to the World Bank.Former President Bharrat Jagdeo has always said to present the evidence of corruption and it will be investigated but has annually castigated the Transparency International reports.Reiter did caution that making significant inroads in the fight against corruption will take time and advised that corruption is a non-partisan problem that will require non-partisan solutions.She cautioned, also,Authentic NFL Jerseys Wholesale China, that corruption was at the root of all of the major upheavals across the world in 2011.Reiter added,Jerseys NFL Wholesale China, “Government cannot tackle corruption with symbolic gestures.” |
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