‘What does Gouveia do?’

…Harmon zeroes in on National Security Adviser’s qualifications, workload

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, during consideration of Budget 2021 estimates on Tuesday, defended the credentials of Gerry Gouveia for the position of National Security Adviser.

Gouveia receives a monthly $700,000 remuneration. Teixeira told the committe of supply that Gouveia has met the criteria to be hired which is to have a “security background”.

As the Committee of Supply met for the consideration of the estimates, though Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon was unable to determine the designations and total number of persons fired from the Office of the President (OTP) since the PPP/C took Office, he zeroed in on the National Security Advisor post which carries the highest remuneration allocation for contracted employees.

Harmon requested of Teixeira the Advisor’s duties, who he reports to and what were the specific qualifications required for the post. However, Teixeira stated that the question should come to her in her capacity as a minister and not during the considerations of the budget estimates.

However, Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir —  serving as the Committee Chairman — interjected: “I think, honourable Minister, this is in line with what we could do here because this sum relating to the policies for which it’s going to.”

As such, Teixeira said that Harmon ought to know the duties of a National Security Advisor insinuating that his question was unnecessary. Nonetheless, she candidly stated that the National Security Advisor is hired to provide national security advice and the said person must have a “security background”. She said that Gouveia meets this qualification.In August 2020, the PPP/C Administration appointed Gouveia to the post. He is a veteran airline transport rated pilot with 40 years of service in the Aviation, Security and Tourism sectors in Guyana.

He is a former military officer with an excess of a decade of service in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) where he served as the Chief Pilot of the Army Aircorps. Captain Gouveia graduated from the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach Florida and has formal training from institutions such as the NTSB Academy in Washington DC in Aircraft Accident Investigations, George Washington University in Virginia USA in Aviation Safety and Security and the Center for Hemispheric Defence Studies in the National Defence University all in Washington DC, in area in of National Defence and Security.

Under the current expenditure of the OTP, which amounts to over $1.1B, there were 46 contracted employees in 2020 and 70 currently in 2021. While $26M was allocated for the said staff in 2020, $145M is currently allocated.

Harmon requested the designations, remuneration and employment date of the 24 additional contracted employees. Teixeira listed them as: a Presidential Advisor – $700,000, a National Security Advisor – $700,000, a Director of Policy, Projects and Public Affairs – $350,000, a Technical Services Coordinator – $298,000, Director of Operations – $200,000, a Press Secretary – $400,000, an Assistant Press Secretary – $300,000, a junior Communications Officer – $150,000, an Administrative Assistant – $200,000, an Admin Support Officer – $150,000, an Editor -$260,000, a technical assistant, 2 gardeners – $102,058 (collective), 2 cooks – $70,000 (each), a receptionist/secretary – $115,000, a senior household service worker — $120,000, 4 household service workers – $70,000 (each) and a security officer – $20,000.

The Opposition Leader followed up by requesting the designation of the positions terminated by the PPP/C Government after August 2, 2020 when it took Office. However, Nadir interjected to request that the Opposition Leader stick to matters that exist on the line item.

“I would caution that questions like that could come as a question from an honourable Member to the relevant Minister…this line item pertains to what exists a question dealing with who was sent off and who resigned, that is best suited for a question to the minister and if we’re going to maintain the schedule that we’ve agreed on, we have to stay to point,” Nadir said. However, he told Teixeira that if she chooses to respond he will allow it.

Teixeira, in turn, mirrored the Speaker’s sentiments indicating that the persons Harmon inquired about are not under the specific line item.

The APNU+AFC coalition has accused the PPP/C, on several occasions, of engaging in the unwarranted firing of public servants in the hundreds. However, the Government has contested that these public servants were determined to be obstructive and therefore their dismissal was absolutely necessary to ensure that the Government could carry out its developmental plans uninterrupted.