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Do we have systems that 'legalise' corruption?
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Dear Editor,
I refer to the above question and have decided to write this letter based on my experience on Friday, November 9, 2007, when our company vehicle was seized by a policeman, as, in his estimation, our licence plate at the rear of the vehicle was not clearly visible. The officer indicated that the step rail of the vehicle was blocking the licence plate (this permanent fixture has been there for the past six years that we have owned the vehicle and an issue has never been raised about it obscuring the licence plate).
I will now outline why I am of the view that corruption is being facilitated by some state agencies and institutions. The policeman was not behind us when he perceived that our licence plate was obscured. He came to this decision after stopping the vehicle, checking all the papers and walking around the vehicle at least three times. It seems he was not checking to see that everything is in order, but was trying to find something that was not.
After realising that we were willing to be ticketed by him (as we would challenge this ticket in the courts), the policeman then took out his cellular phone to make a call in which we heard him say, "How far you are, I have a vehicle in Half-Way-Tree for you to pick up now?" Could this be proper procedure for a policeman to call a wrecker driver on his cellphone like this? This certainly can lend itself to corrupt activity.
The fact is, it seems that the authorities know that this loophole exists for police officers and wrecker drivers to be in collusion. The next thing that caught me by surprise was when I visited the Transport Authority Pound where the vehicle was being held and was given a Cash Bank Deposit Slip to deposit money into the wrecker company's account before my vehicle could be released. This now confirmed to me that this system was set up and facilitated by agents of the state (the police, the Ministry of Transport and Works) to encourage and legalise corruption.
How can an agency of the state facilitate private wrecker companies in this manner? Isn't it clear this is a BIG LOOPHOLE to encourage corrupt activities on the part of police officers, wrecker drivers and Transport Authority inspectors?
I have since decided that I will not deposit cash into any wrecker company's account. A decision that is causing my business to lose money daily, but I am one Jamaican feels strongly against encouraging corruption, even if it is 'legalised corruption'.
Christopher Kennedy
chris@eagleandwhale.com
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Dear Editor,
I refer to the above question and have decided to write this letter based on my experience on Friday, November 9, 2007, when our company vehicle was seized by a policeman, as, in his estimation, our licence plate at the rear of the vehicle was not clearly visible. The officer indicated that the step rail of the vehicle was blocking the licence plate (this permanent fixture has been there for the past six years that we have owned the vehicle and an issue has never been raised about it obscuring the licence plate).
I will now outline why I am of the view that corruption is being facilitated by some state agencies and institutions. The policeman was not behind us when he perceived that our licence plate was obscured. He came to this decision after stopping the vehicle, checking all the papers and walking around the vehicle at least three times. It seems he was not checking to see that everything is in order, but was trying to find something that was not.
After realising that we were willing to be ticketed by him (as we would challenge this ticket in the courts), the policeman then took out his cellular phone to make a call in which we heard him say, "How far you are, I have a vehicle in Half-Way-Tree for you to pick up now?" Could this be proper procedure for a policeman to call a wrecker driver on his cellphone like this? This certainly can lend itself to corrupt activity.
The fact is, it seems that the authorities know that this loophole exists for police officers and wrecker drivers to be in collusion. The next thing that caught me by surprise was when I visited the Transport Authority Pound where the vehicle was being held and was given a Cash Bank Deposit Slip to deposit money into the wrecker company's account before my vehicle could be released. This now confirmed to me that this system was set up and facilitated by agents of the state (the police, the Ministry of Transport and Works) to encourage and legalise corruption.
How can an agency of the state facilitate private wrecker companies in this manner? Isn't it clear this is a BIG LOOPHOLE to encourage corrupt activities on the part of police officers, wrecker drivers and Transport Authority inspectors?
I have since decided that I will not deposit cash into any wrecker company's account. A decision that is causing my business to lose money daily, but I am one Jamaican feels strongly against encouraging corruption, even if it is 'legalised corruption'.
Christopher Kennedy
chris@eagleandwhale.com