Bribery & Corruption HotLine – 2011
Posted on December 30th, 2010
Prof. Hudson McLean
With the dawning of another New Year, patriotic Sri Lankans should recognize the brave, balanced leadership of HE President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his closest advisors.
However, the same cannot be said of some of the parliamentarians and Cabinet portfolio holders.
Its encouraging to see the Customs & Excise pulling in their weight and majority of the Police successfully collecting revenue through Fines.
Bribery & Corruption is still rampant, and the People’s Reprsentatives are following the doctine, “Charity Begins at Home”, meaning their Homes. The word “Home” should represent the entire Island of Sri Lanka.
Only one country in the Asian continent has really stamped out corruption, that is Singapore, now classified as a developed country comparable with the top 10 in the world.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Minister Mentor Lee Kwan Yew had a great Vision and he made that dream come true, in a brief 50 years or less.
Singapore was a muddy fishing village when the PM of Malaya kicked Singapore out of the Union.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Today Singapore leads ASEAN, although the Sri Lankan Tamils in Singapore objected to the application of Ceylon to join ASEAN.
Today, thanks to the efforts of President Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka stands, alone, but proud, as a force to be reckoned with.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The major stumbling block is the rampant corruption of the “parasites” sitting in government offices as well as some of the Law Enforcement officers getting the kick-back.
Along with the controlling of the MP privileges, such as motor vehicles, expensive travel budgets, the President should appoint a three-man team to combat Bribery & Corruption immediately.
As in several countries which have adopted similar schemes, there should be Bribery & Corruption HotLine, either by SMS, Fax, Email, giving the Date, Time, Place of the Defined Incident, with if possible the Name(s) of the person(s) responsible and witnesses. There should be multiple email addresses published in the daily national media.
The investigations on the incident should be swift, with a Name & Shame Public Policy including drastic disciplinary action by a Special Court under a Retired Supreme Court Judge.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Judge shall have the mandate to refer the parties to the Public Prosecutor where applicable, with an option of giving comfort to the victims.
Hopefully, the President gives this suggestion his serious consideration to establish B&C HotLineƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ before Julian Assange of WikiLeaks commences his next campaign.
Wish All Readers of LankaWeb
A Bright, Prosperous & A Joyous New 2011.
Express Your Opinion – Read What Others Say!
The Independent Interactive Voice of Sri Lanka on the Internet.
Please visit -: http://www.lankaweb.com/
December 30th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Professor McLean, it is a fine suggestion to appoint a three-man Team to fight Corruption. BRIBERRY AND CORRUPTION IS RAGING IN SRI LANKA, AND IT HAS TO BE STOPPED ON THE TRACKS.
If His Excellency does not want to get his clothes dirty, HE should give serious cogniscance to this suggestion.
It is my point of view, that three seperate retired Supreme Court Judges, sit independantly, to hear cases of Briberry and Corruption, as there will be so many cases to be heard. It should not, and never function like the present court system, dragging on for years. Reason is, there is plenty of Bribery and Corruption by all actors of the Judicial System. There is a tendency for Lawyers to drag on cases, until one party gets tired, and also a likelihood of Documentation getting lost by design, during the process. I know this for certain. From SOME Judges, to the Court Clerk, to the peon in the Documents library, they are all merry team. When I refer to SOME Judges, I believe it would be just one per cent. I have, and had classmates who are Supreme Court Judges. My great respects to them
As you suggest, the Investigation has to be SWIFT, the Judgement has to be SWIFT, and the Punishment has to be SWIFT.
In the Mandate given to the Judges, there should be a clause, that there should be no POLITICAL INTERFERENCE WHATSOEVER, even from His Excellency The President, down to other Legislators, and Officers holding high office.
If there is such interference, they should be also in the NAME AND SHAME LIST, as Interlopers.
Full media publicity should be given during the whole process, with names and designations highlighted.
To all readers of Lanka Web, and all those beautiful Sri Lankans over there, My Best Wishes, for a prosperous and peaceful 2011.