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Fighting bribery and corruption

It is no exaggeration to say that bribery and corruption in Lankan society have assumed monstrous proportions so much so that it has come to be accepted as part and parcel of everyday life with nary a whimper of protest from any quarter.

True, bribery and corruption exists in all countries including in those that enjoin Third World countries to rein in corruption making this a condition for aid flow, not to mention the countries of those NGOs who compile statistics giving corruption ratings to Third World countries.

However this cannot be cited as an excuse to turn a blind eye to the scourge of bribery and corruption that is eating into the moral fabric of the Lankan nation and urgent remedial action is called for to fight the cancer before it takes further root in society and reach a stage of being inoperable.

It is in this context that we harken to the statement made by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka who had called for public vigilance to eradicate the twin evils and bribery and corruption from our midst.

Addressing a function to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day the Premier called for the laws against bribery and corruption to be applied strictly without consideration of the status or station of the person or persons concerned.

This was in reference to the all too familiar public perception that the sharks escape the net while only the sprats get caught. Inherent in the Premier's remark is the stark reality that the hydra headed monster of bribery and corruption has spread its tentacles deep into the country's civil adminstration and all walks of life and fields of activity.

The PM has enjoined the Bribery Commission to act without fear or favour and remove the public perception of it as going soft on the big time embezzlers.

Coming from the Prime Minister of the country it is hoped the message would be clear to the functionaries of the Commission to go after the big shark and make an example of some them so that it would have the desired effect down the way. The Commission should be given all facilities in this regard.

When the Premier called for eternal public vigilance for eradicating corruption he was no doubt speaking of the sense of immunity, nonchalance and impervious indifference that has taken hold of the public to acts of bribery and corruption in our midst and is akin to a clarion call for a collective shedding of this armour against a public evil and a joint effort by all to tackle the problem.

Indeed, turning a blind eye to bribery and corruption is worse than the act itself. This is why whistleblowing has assumed such significance today. They can be termed as guardians of the law and moral values. By bringing instances of bribery and corruption to the notice of the authorities, they help even in a small way to minimise these evils.

It is hoped that the Prime Minister's call would galvanise the concerned authorities to redouble their efforts to fight the twin evils of bribery and corruption that have taken a firm grip on every aspect of pubic life and society at large.

The multi billion rupee VAT scam could well be the tip of the iceberg of the festering rot that lies in the labyrinth. Bribery and corruption is not a new phenomenon in this country. There has been even an instance when a public figure found guilty of bribery was hounded out of office in the late fifties.

There can however be no argument that bribery and corruption became institutionalised with the advent of the open economy. So much so not a single institution or Government body escaped its overarching reach with their tentacles making deep inroads into the political establishment as well.

There was a going price for everything which saw a deep erosion of moral values where mammon took precedence over everything else.

It is hoped that Prime Minister Wickremanayaka's remarks and observations in this regard would provide the necessary impetus for a new initiative to fight the twin evils of bribery and corruption in our midst and pave the way for the return of the much cherished, time honoured values and ethical conduct in our society.

Terrorism has no place in modern history

Terrorism has no place in modern history. It is not an acceptable means of expressing political dissent. There is no excuse for killing innocent children, women and men and terrorise innocent civilians, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the Upper House of the Japanese Parliament on Monday.

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Mobiles: A easy and efficient way of communication

Annoying ring tones is also a factor that drives people crasy and makes cell phones, hell phones. What is annoying would differ from person to person therefore this wound would be a bit hard to heal. However you still can take reasonable care at least to the people whom you are acquainted with and facial gestures and body language might work for the rest

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