‘Come forward with solid evidence of corruption’ – Housing Ministry urges

See below full statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Water, Bishram Kuppen:

It has been brought to the attention of the management of the Ministry of Housing and Water that there are a number of allegations, which are circulating on social media about corrupt activities by certain employees, which are related to housing matters.

The Ministry is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and service in the exercise of our mandate in the housing sector and we take these allegations with utmost seriousness.

We encourage anyone with solid evidence of such corrupt activities to come forward and report it immediately to the Guyana Police Force, the Ministers or the Permanent Secretary.

All information received will be treated with strict confidence and will be used in our internal investigations. We are committed to thoroughly investigating any genuine reports of misconduct within the Ministry.

We would like to reassure the public and firmly state that the Ministry of Housing and Water will not condone any form of unethical behavior or corruption. Any employee who is found to be engaging in corrupt transactions will face serious disciplinary action and also the full force of the law, where appropriate.

Furthermore, in response to the allegations made, the Ministry has intensified monitoring of the activities in the areas highlighted to ensure that all procedures are strictly followed.

Members of the public are also reminded that all applications for house lots are processed directly at the Ministry of Housing and Water and its Regional Offices by authorized employees. The Ministry does not have any middlemen or external agents who are authorized to conduct business on its behalf.

The Ministry of Housing and Water remains committed to its mission to empower citizens through our housing programmes. We wish to thank the members of the public for their vigilance and for helping us to maintain the integrity of our processes.

Permanent Secretary,

Ministry of Housing and Water.