Stopping public sector corruption in Guyana
The woman asked me to come to the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc March against Corruption which is taking place as I write this.
I thought about it, not because I friken to speak out, but because as people noted, corruption is silent and often cannot be proven because people have ways of asking for things without. It is horrifying in Guyana how the active members of TIGI have been the subject of cuss outs which nothing to do with any of the content of their advocacy.
I was accused of acting in a corrupt way by a colleague in one of my organisations. The accuser is a member of the local TI group and I believe that they would know what they are speaking about. I was shocked, because there has been no recanting of that allegation, and there was no recourse to also finding a way to deal with that allegation by a member of the group which speaks out against corruption.
I then discovered to my horror that another person who frequently speaks out on public sector corruption also engaged in what I deemed corrupt practices in a critical process in a small organisation . And as I write this without really writing, one of my fears of marching today is not so much about what the Government would say - they have launched attacks against executives and advocates of TIGI - but how much bothered I am about dealing with 'hypocrisy' when people expect others to behave in ways in which they do not when they themselves have no integrity.
I would suspect that one of the reasons that the TIGI membership is not moving is that many citizens probably fear the 'those who live in glass houses should not throw stones' thingy.
Guyanese have been bribing police and customs officials since the flour and dhal ban of the 1980s. Many Guyanese have no problem with asking for or giving a raise as they engage in public sector transactions.
A woman told me that a public funded agency employee asked her to contract a relative for a consultant. These conversations of course are not recorded and are therefore difficult to prove. The employee probably did not think that nepotism (called strong family values? in some countries ) was a problem
I understand Public Sector Corruption refers to the corruption in the allocation of public goods and resources.
I have not found a definition of 'corruption' which would allow me to 'Stop the Corruption' when I have to think of the ways for survival I might breach my own ethics.
So if I cheat on my partner or if I am a member of an interview panel who skews an panel discussion in favour of someone I want to get the job in a small organisation, then should I cuss out when the Ministers enrich themselves and their friends with public resources? Should we say 'Stop Public Sector Corruption Today' so as to allow us room to not come under scrutiny for our own transgressions?
I thought about it, not because I friken to speak out, but because as people noted, corruption is silent and often cannot be proven because people have ways of asking for things without. It is horrifying in Guyana how the active members of TIGI have been the subject of cuss outs which nothing to do with any of the content of their advocacy.
I was accused of acting in a corrupt way by a colleague in one of my organisations. The accuser is a member of the local TI group and I believe that they would know what they are speaking about. I was shocked, because there has been no recanting of that allegation, and there was no recourse to also finding a way to deal with that allegation by a member of the group which speaks out against corruption.
I then discovered to my horror that another person who frequently speaks out on public sector corruption also engaged in what I deemed corrupt practices in a critical process in a small organisation . And as I write this without really writing, one of my fears of marching today is not so much about what the Government would say - they have launched attacks against executives and advocates of TIGI - but how much bothered I am about dealing with 'hypocrisy' when people expect others to behave in ways in which they do not when they themselves have no integrity.
I would suspect that one of the reasons that the TIGI membership is not moving is that many citizens probably fear the 'those who live in glass houses should not throw stones' thingy.
Guyanese have been bribing police and customs officials since the flour and dhal ban of the 1980s. Many Guyanese have no problem with asking for or giving a raise as they engage in public sector transactions.
A woman told me that a public funded agency employee asked her to contract a relative for a consultant. These conversations of course are not recorded and are therefore difficult to prove. The employee probably did not think that nepotism (called strong family values? in some countries ) was a problem
I understand Public Sector Corruption refers to the corruption in the allocation of public goods and resources.
I have not found a definition of 'corruption' which would allow me to 'Stop the Corruption' when I have to think of the ways for survival I might breach my own ethics.
So if I cheat on my partner or if I am a member of an interview panel who skews an panel discussion in favour of someone I want to get the job in a small organisation, then should I cuss out when the Ministers enrich themselves and their friends with public resources? Should we say 'Stop Public Sector Corruption Today' so as to allow us room to not come under scrutiny for our own transgressions?
Dear Vidya,
ReplyDeleteEven though I am a part of TIGI, please allow me to respond to this in a personal capacity, as the views shared here are my own. I don't really know the background to what you're referring to so it's difficult for me to comment.
The most common reason people state that they don't want to be a member is fear of reprisals from government which is a common issue with civil society advocacy and not unique to TIGI. Encouragingly, we have seen an increase in our membership especially among university students.
Corruption tends to occur either because of weak institutions (laws, policies etc) or because of an individual's decision to abuse/ignore them. Human beings, we know, are fallible and even members of the best causes can make mistakes. However, 'causes', like efforts to address corruption, are much larger than any one individual and your support for the anti-corruption cause should not be clouded by the acts of any one individual. In which case many of us would not go to church, send our kids to school etc as they have all be subject to accusations of corrupt practices.
TIGI is only one platform to do something about corruption there are many others which do not require you to be a part of a group. The important thing is that we do not loose sight of the issue.
It would be a loss to the cause to not have you on board.
With much love and respect,
- Esther
P.S Here are actions that the UN suggests can be taken to address corruption (www.un.org/en/events/anticorruptionday/):
Ratify and enact the UN Convention against Corruption.
Countries that successfully attack corruption are far more legitimate in the eyes of their citizens, creating stability and trust.
Know what Convention requires of your government and its officials.
Rooting out corruption allows social and economic development.
Educate the public about the government's responsibility to be corruption-free.
Equal and fair justice for all is a crucial element for a country's stability and growth. It also helps to effectively fight crime.
Raise awareness with the public, media and government about the costs of corruption for key services such as health and education.
All of society benefits from functioning basic services.
Engage the youth of your country about what ethical behavior is, what corruption is and how to fight it, and to demand their right to education.
Ensuring that future generations of citizens are brought up to expect corruption-free countries is one of the best tools to ensure a brighter future.
Report incidents of corruption.
Create an environment where the rule of law prevails.
Refuse to participate in any activities that are not legal and transparent.
Increases both domestic and foreign investment. Everyone is more willing to invest in countries when they see that funds are not being siphoned off into the pockets of corrupt officials.
Foster economic stability by enforcing zero-tolerance practices towards corruption.
A transparent and open business community is a cornerstone of any strong democracy.