On Monday, September 7, 2026, Guyana’s Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo gathered senior public sector leaders from across the country at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre for a high-stakes meeting centered on fixing governance gaps and strengthening public trust in state institutions. The gathering brought together cabinet ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Regional Executive Officers, chief accounting officers from leading semi-autonomous government agencies, and top leadership from key state bodies including the Guyana Prison Service, Guyana Police Force, Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Power and Light, Maritime Administration, multiple line ministries, the Guyana Energy Agency, Civil Defence Commission, and Cheddi Jagan International Airport. The core focus of the closed meeting was to align public sector leadership around new governance standards, with particular emphasis on reinforcing accountability and transparency across three high-risk areas: public procurement processes, government payment systems, and public communication of government activities. The ultimate goal of these reforms is to improve the delivery of public programs and services to Guyanese citizens. In his opening address to attendees, Vice President Jagdeo underscored the critical leadership responsibility held by Permanent Secretaries and Regional Executive Officers, noting that these officials are the frontline stewards of public funds allocated to their respective ministries, regions, and agencies. He stressed that their primary duty is to ensure all operations align with existing national laws and regulations, while also driving sound, efficient management of the public resources entrusted to them. According to an official statement released by the Office of the President following the meeting, participants also collaborated to discuss a series of new initiatives designed to strengthen ongoing compliance tracking, specifically for procurement activities and government payment protocols. During the discussion, senior officials issued a clear caution to all attending accounting and administrative leaders: any deliberate breach or violation of governance rules will result in formal consequences for the individuals responsible for the misconduct. Vice President Jagdeo also used the meeting as an opportunity to reaffirm the unwavering commitment of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic government to delivering high-quality, accessible public services to all Guyanese. He highlighted that the administration is prioritizing the integration of modern digital technology into government operations as a key strategy to streamline citizen interactions with state institutions, reduce bureaucratic delays, improve the overall quality of public services, and ultimately help all Guyanese achieve a higher quality of life.
Jagdeo tells ministers, other top govt officials to improve accountability, transparency
