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Senior public servants must be accountable to the citizens of Guyana in the management of the affairs of government departments and agencies and in the discharge of their professional duties.
This was emphasised by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, while speaking at a recent roundtable discussion on ethical conduct in the public service.
The theme of the round table was “Promoting the integrity and effectiveness of public institutions and authorities to prevent corruption”.
The Minister was very forthright in urging those in authority in the Civil Service to discharge their duties with integrity and professionalism within the framework of applicable Civil Service Rules and Regulations.
The roundtable meeting comes at a time when the government is stepping up training and capacity building in the public service to ensure it is more efficient.
The importance of efficient public services cannot be overstated, especially in today’s era of accelerated economic growth and development. The efficient delivery of social services is a key component of the governance process. As the economy grows, so too does the expectation of the Guyanese people for enhanced delivery of social goods and services.
The issue of integrity is equally important. According to Minister Teixeira, the government is amending the Integrity Commission Act to ensure that individuals are required to submit statutory declarations within the prescribed time.
The roundtable was designed to identify mechanisms to prevent the misuse of public funds and strengthen institutions, which is commendable. As Minister Teixeira noted, “We must now reach a point where we as a government, as a public service, must hold ourselves to high standards.”
This is what good governance really means.
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali said the government is working to strengthen institutions and eliminate corrupt practices by public officials. In this regard, the government is implementing systems, institutional arrangements, guidelines and procedures to ensure accountability. “I can assure you that we will work to strengthen institutional capacity, improve the governance system, make the government more open and transparent, create avenues for greater public participation in the governance process, and openly answer questions that the public may have about the work of the government.”
These are indeed the hallmarks of good governance and the PPP/C government must be commended.
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