Dear Editor,
I am writing in my private capacity to respond to the article in the Kiskadee Watch dated June 27, 2026, and captioned “APNU wants independent survey of squall damage”.
Let me begin: a squall hit the Essequibo Coast, creating much damage to many buildings. I agree that there needs to be transparency and proper oversight, especially when public resources are being used, but I have to say I am troubled by the fact that they chose to use Mr Dennis Jaikaran as their voice on these matters.
Let me be clear. I am not throwing around accusations here. I am relying on the auditor general’s report for 2019 to arrive at my concern and conclusion. That report paints a very troubling picture of the Region Three Administration when Mr Jaikaran was the Regional Executive Officer, the actual Accounting Officer for that region. Under his watch, the Regional Administration could not even provide basic records to show whether people living in Government quarters were actually entitled to be there.
Forty-three out of 59 occupied buildings were occupied by persons who were never declared to the Office of the Auditor General. That is what the report highlighted. The administration could not say who was entitled to rent-free accommodation or explain why rent was not being collected. This is not some small clerical error. This is a total failure of management and accountability in Region Three during his tenure as the chief accounting and executive officer.
We all know the rules. Public servants in Government quarters have to pay rent unless they have special approval (in writing) for free accommodation. But under Mr Jaikaran, the Region Three Administration could not even produce the documents to show who was supposed to pay what. The Audit Office had to step in and tell them to get their act together, and yet upon his departure, he could not account for this mess (see the 2020 audit report). This is the man who is now out there talking about good governance and accountability.
Now, just two days after the squall, Mr Jaikaran is out there questioning damage assessments and raising concerns about construction quality. Two days. Is that genuine concern for the people of Region Two, or is it just a quick attempt to grab a headline? In times like these, we should be focused on getting help to people who need it, not rushing to the press to score points.
The Fiscal Management and Accountability Act sets out how emergencies are funded. When monies are taken from the contingency fund, it has to go to the National Assembly for clearing. That is when the scrutiny happens. That is the proper time and place – not a press conference two days after a disaster. This sort of behaviour is most unfortunate.
I am not saying we should ignore the concerns about the damage. The people of Region Two need help, and they need it fast. His Excellency President Irfaan Ali has shown that he will do whatever he can to assist, but he has to work with the system we have. And that system depends on the people in the public sector.
I would like to humbly recommend the University of Guyana’s Engineering Department and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana as two independent agencies that are suitable candidates to help the national efforts with the monitoring and evaluation part of the project. That would bring some independent technical expertise to the table and give people confidence that the work is being done right.
But let us be honest about Mr Jaikaran. With his track record, he is not the person to be lecturing anyone on transparency or accountability. If APNU, the smaller of the two main opposition parties in Parliament, is serious about these issues, they can find better people to speak for them.
Let us focus on helping the people of Region Two and leave the cheap theatrics for another day.