Representatives of 26 private sector agencies came together on Tuesday to strategise ways of strengthening Guyana’s anti-corruption framework alongside the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance.
Themed, “Collaborating with the Private Sector in Guyana,” the one-day workshop opened at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown.
The sessions addressed the implementation of recommendations emanating from reviews conducted under the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption (IACAC) and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC)
Such matters include manuals and guidelines used in the private sector to prevent corruption, existing best practices, preventive and investigative tactics, and enhanced cooperation between law enforcement agencies and private sector entities.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira said even though Guyana has an anti-corruption framework in place, there is still a lot of work and tightening to do in some areas.
She spoke about the effects of corruption and the need for a new culture of transparency.
“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 make someone wealthy, denies an ordinary person maybe access to a good road, school, or health centre.”
Chairman of the Economics and Finance Committee of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramesh Dookhoo said private sector bodies are not happy with the way many regulations are being breached across the country.
While they are pleased with the ability of some government agencies to enforce the laws of Guyana, he pointed out that some laws are applied subjectively by regulators.
Dookhoo posited that one of the ways to help manage corruption would be increased penalties for those found culpable.
“The penalties have to be harsh so that we wouldn’t even want to risk it. If you look at our legal framework for corruption, it will take massive collaboration among several agencies to bring a corrupt person or entity to justice. It’s too much. It’s almost impossible to do,” he said.
The post Parliamentary Affairs Ministry teams up with private sector to address corruption appeared first on News Room Guyana.