The Regional Democratic Council of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and the Mayor and City Councillors (M&CC) of Georgetown, in collaboration with the Legal Affairs Ministry, hosted on Wednesday an anti-corruption sensitisation for local government officers in the region. The seminar was aimed at making local government functionaries aware of the laws and regulations surrounding Guyana’s anti-corruption regime, particularly on the recent State Asset Recovery Act 2017, the Protected Disclosures Bill and the Witness Protection Bill.
Regional Chairman Genevieve Allen said the seminar is a timely one as the region’s administration is eager to be educated on the various rules and regulations as it relates to anti-corruption practices.
“When our Councillors and representatives leave here, they will leave here with a better understanding that as a region we have been involved in the public awareness session and that we are going to work together to ensure that Guyana stands out as that country where corrupt practices are no longer taking place in our country,” Allen said.
At the seminar, there were representatives from the 15 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils within the region, along with representatives from the various Community Development Councils, the Guyana Police Force and the M&CC.
Additionally, Attorney General Basil Williams told the participants that they are from the most populated region in Guyana that handles billions of dollars but also millions are being misappropriated.
“Billions of dollars have been and are being spent in this region as well as millions being leaked resulting in the stifling of the ‘good life’ for the people of the region. Government takes seriously its international commitments under the conventions against corruption and it pledges to ensure that the State’s assets belong to the benefit of the Guyanese people,” he said.
Williams also noted that there are several forensic audits which have resulted in charges against corrupt Government officers and it is against that backdrop that Government created a legislative framework to eradicate corruption.
“The State Assets Recovery Act 2017 has been passed to pursue civil recovery of State assets. This is also in conjunction with the criminal aspect of State assets being acquired by unlawful conduct of officials. We laid the whistleblower act and the Witness Protection Bills have been laid in Parliament. The Bills are to allow fellow employees to stay safe to disclose corrupt dealing legally and enjoy the protection of the state,” Williams added.
As it relates to the Witness Protection Bill, the Attorney General said the Government would continue to ensure State employees continue to feel comfortable when reporting corrupt officials. “The Witness Protection Bill allows us to give protection to someone in another [Caribbean Community] Caricom state because there is a Caricom Witness Protection Programme…” Williams said in an invited comment.
This is the third anti-corruption seminar being conducted by Government, having started in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and then to Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) with plans 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.
