The President of Guyana and the leaders of all parliamentary parties should release their 2025 declaration of assets. This is the proposition of Member of Parliament, Dr. Terrence Campbell.
He, who is APNU’s lead in the National Assembly, made this proposal in wake of President Irfaan Ali’s Farm controversy.
Campbell voiced concerns over the state of transparency and accountability within Guyana’s public sector, emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive legislation to address corruption and ensure public officials declare their assets openly. He called on the president and parliamentary party leaders to set an example by immediately releasing their 2025 declarations made to the Integrity Commission.
Campbell expressed his willingness to do so himself, pledging to publish his declaration once an agreement is reached.
In a letter to Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs, Campbell said “The proposed amendment is intended to strengthen transparency, accountability and public confidence in public office by ensuring that prescribed information relating to the statutory declarations of the country’s principal elected and executive office holders is made publicly available while preserving the confidentiality of information not required to be disclosed.”
During his address on Facebook in a video, Campbell outlined the key officials who should be subject to declaration requirements, including the president, ministers, parliamentary secretaries, permanent secretaries, commissioners of land surveys, geology and mines, forestry, the police, and various government agency heads, as well as mayors and deputy mayors. He revealed that he has drafted an amendment to the Integrity Commission Act, which he plans to place on social media, along with a summary declaration to accompany the legislation. However, he acknowledged that legislative progress might be slow, as the bill is a private member’s initiative and can only be considered during specific parliamentary sessions. Campbell asserts that any parliamentarian or party opposing this legislation likely has something to hide or is involved in corruption
Campbell pointed out that over the past week, the country has been consumed with allegations and denials surrounding Farmgate.
He admitted to withholding commentary initially because he was troubled by the fact that the nation cannot rely on personal conflicts or political fallout to scrutinize allegations of unusual wealth accumulation by public officials. Instead, he advocates for institutional mechanisms that allow anyone, civil society, journalists, or concerned citizens, to access information and conduct independent investigations.
In Jamaica, the law mandates the Integrity Commission to publish a summary declaration of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, providing the public and media with a basis for scrutiny. Campbell contrasted this with Guyana, where he believes corruption is more pervasive. He criticized the current legislation, which does not require the Integrity Commission to publish any declarations, describing it as a “toothless poodle” that has failed to investigate false filings or omissions.
He highlighted the president’s recent declaration of having a farm but questioned whether the Integrity Commission had verified the details, especially after seeing videos of extensive farm growth. Campbell expressed skepticism about whether the commission actually investigates or inspects declared assets, emphasizing the need for reform.
In January, Campbell called for amendments to the Integrity Commission Act to mandate the publication of summary declarations of high-ranking officials in the official gazette. The recent Farmgate allegations further underscored the urgency of this reform. He reported that he has since submitted a private member’s bill to the National Assembly proposing this amendment, which he hopes will gain unanimous support.
Campbell emphasized his cautious approach, stating, “I am not going to jump to conclusions.” He acknowledged that the president has affirmed he did declare ownership of a farm, and Campbell expressed no reason to doubt this assertion.
Campbell shared his familiarity with the president having a farm. However, he admitted to being unaware of the farm’s current size and extent of development. “I didn’t know that the farm was 150 acres,” he said, adding that he was also unaware of the significant growth and expansion the farm has undergone recently.
He recalled that the last he knew of the farm, it was involved in relatively modest activities, such as raising a few chickens for a business called Royal Chicken. However, recent videos and footage he has seen suggest that the farm has expanded considerably beyond those initial operations.
