Welcome words on Integrity

At a time when personal and professional integrity should be a prime focus of public discussion, we have had no less a person than President Mahinda Rajapaksa speaking on the vital importance of integrity in all spheres of life. His encouraging words are bound to have a positive impact on those members of the public who still care for integrity of any kind and are working conscientiously towards its realization.

It was Myanmarese democratic icon Aung San Suu Kyi who once said that it was really not power which corrupts, but fear. Accordingly, ‘Fear corrupts and absolute fear corrupts absolutely.’ This pronouncement encompasses a profound truth. Fear compels the timid, faint-hearted human to obey blindly the unjust and those who seem to throw their weight around. Fear that is thus instilled by those who seemingly wield power and abuse it, compels the less strong and doughty of spirit to commit acts of corruption and abuse in turn. Looked at closely, this is the logic in Suu Kyi’s pronouncement and one is convinced that she is right.

Given that corruption and abuse of office are nothing new to Sri Lanka, President Rajapaksa’s words need to be welcomed as a tremendous restatement of trust in those women and men who are bent on carrying out their duties conscientiously, without bowing to the unjust. While professional integrity is of the first importance, so is personal integrity. In fact, they are two sides of the same coin.

In the context of the current issues facing Sri Lanka, the question of integrity is of supreme importance. Each branch of government and the personnel within them would do well to understand what their duties and functions are and carry them out conscientiously. If there is any confusion in these terms of reference relating to each branch of the state, this is the time to have it clarified through a process of cordial dialogue among the parties concerned.

There should not be a question of one party trying to encroach on the authority and functions of the other. This process of clarification is compulsory if the Lankan state is to function effectively. We urge that the national interest be attached top priority now and always.

It would be in the national interest for all sections that matter in the Lankan body-politic to address their minds to power relations within society. There needs to be a stringent system of checks and balances within our body-politic which could guard against power abuse by any quarter and prevent one section from trying to influence the other. Besides, the personal and professional integrity of each section and their personnel must be respected and upheld by other such quarters. Conflicts that threaten dysfunction and confusion arise, when these norms of great value are disregarded.

That said, it is up to every official and functionary in the public sector in particular, to know what is expected of her or him and to stick by their duties, come what may. If this had been happening over the decades, bullying politicians and the like would fight shy of attempting to ride rough shod over the public servant and other personnel whom the bullies regard as their hired servants. Therefore, each citizen should regard integrity to be of supreme importance.

As mentioned before, this sacred matter of integrity needs to be brought to centre stage of public debate, now that the subject has been aired and important pronouncements have been made on it. An enlightened attitude must be brought to bear on this question by all concerned.

It is the national interest which will be served by a polity that respects and upholds integrity in all its dimensions. If democratic maturity and development is to be valued, integrity must be enthroned as one of the greatest aims of a polity.