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Eliminating bribery and corruption

A survey conducted by Transparency International has concluded that Sri Lanka ranks 57th out of 102 countries in terms of the commitment to eradicate bribery and corruption. This confirms a fact we already know - that bribery and corruption are rampant in Sri Lanka.

The survey has found that corruption has increased at an alarming rate in the public service.

This is exemplified by the number of top public sector figures produced in Court in the past few years for bribery and corruption related offences.

It is no secret that corruption is rife in Sri Lankan public bodies, in spite of attempts by various governments to eliminate this cancer. Everyone from office boys to corporation bigwigs desire a "cut" from any deal that comes their way. Greasing the palm is an ingrained practice in our society as a whole, not just in the public sector. The record of the private sector in this regard is not lily-white either.

The lack of transparency and accountability are the biggest trump cards of corrupt persons. This especially applies to mega-scale projects running into billions of rupees. The funds involved are only vaguely mentioned, giving an ideal opportunity for corrupt officials to fatten their pockets.

It is therefore vital to maintain transparency and accountability at every stage of a project, regardless of the source of funds. Proper auditing is also essential. Complete computerisation of project work will minimise corruption as an integrated computerised accounting and fund management system could be made virtually foolproof and error free. Data access can be restricted to a few persons. All records pertaining to financial transactions by government bodies could be posted on the Internet for public perusal. Information on tenders, appointments and development projects can similarly be publicised.

Now that big development and reconstruction projects are in the pipeline following the Tokyo Summit at which Sri Lanka gained US$ 4.5 billion, government bodies will be able to formulate fruitful projects. The availability of such a large amount of funds could be a temptation for some to engage in acts of corruption, but careful scrutiny and a dependable public accounting system will dent any such hopes.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption must be empowered fully to deal with bribery suspects, in collaboration with the police.

Politicians or their henchmen should not be allowed to interfere in its affairs. It is well known that only the small fry get caught in the bribery sleuth's net, while the big fish usually get away. This should not be the case as all are equal before the law.

However, the Commission and the law enforcement agencies alone cannot eradicate bribery and corruption. The public too has a major role to play in this exercise. There are many occasions on which we almost unwittingly give "Baksheesh" to various persons to get things done. The society must make a collective effort to shun such practices which covertly encourage bribery and corruption. This calls for a change in our attitudes on giving and taking bribes.

The Bribery Commission has taken a step in this direction by educating workers, students and the business community on the society's role in eliminating corruption. As the Commission has pointed out, the traditional method of inquiring into acts of corruption one by one is clearly inadequate to realise the goal of a corruption-free society. Only a determined effort by the authorities and the public will help achieve this aim.

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