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Change the course of corruption
published: Monday | July 23, 2007
Garth Rattray
The popular Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) campaign advertisement has taken Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller's 'We not changing no course' statement out of context and used it to severely criticise and (ostensibly) ridicule the ruling People's National Party (PNP). However, there is some truth to the statement because, in spite of the PNP's prevailing self-confidence, it is evident that after 18 years at the helm, they have not been successful in changing the course of several ills, especially corruption in Jamaica.
Corruption has a lot in common with many infectious diseases. It is highly contagious (corruption in some begets corruption in others). It weakens our society and leaves us vulnerable to crime and violence. It occurs in anyone of any age and anywhere in society. It eventually erodes the pillars of our existence. It is the harbinger of doom and the first note in the death knell for many cultures.
Indiscipline and greed
Corruption is the progeny of indiscipline and greed. It thrives best in an unfair, oppressive, inane or inefficient system. It will, therefore, take a two-pronged attack in order to fight it; one arm involves cleaning up and lightening up on some aspects of the existing bureaucracy and the other involves nabbing the perpetrators with ongoing sting operations.
Corruption must be attacked at every level. Whenever there are large sums of monies involved in any (international or local) government deal or contracts, there ought to be several multidisciplinary persons in on the minute details of the transaction and continuous multi-level checks and balances. They should be transparent and accessible to public scrutiny from the start (after all, it's our hard-earned money).
If we are to be serious about combating corruption, excessive taxes, constrictive red tape and unnecessary delays (sometimes lasting several months or even years) for simple, straightforward governmental procedures and transactions must be reduced or eliminated. Their existence paves the way for 'favours' to expedite, circumvent or shortcut the system and these invariably evolve into outright corruption.
I keep coming back to some of the things that take place on our roads because they epitomise our indiscipline and carry over into other aspects of society. When penalties for traffic violations are purely pecuniary and punitive, people will continue to bribe willing members of the constabulary in order to save time, money and demerit points on their driver's licences. The constabulary, on the other hand, will continuously set speed 'traps' in meaningless places and at meaningless times (like when exiting speed-restricted zones or at 4:00 a.m. in transition zones) for the sole purpose of catching unsuspecting drivers and augmenting their income.
I understand that several members of the constabulary own or co-own tow truck companies - this constitutes a clear conflict of interest and should be forbidden. Others co-opt wrecker services and not only extort the owners of these vehicles but also the ensnared drivers thus making money at both ends of the deal! Several minibus routes are non-viable and, therefore, those operators assigned to them are 'encouraged' to stray into more lucrative territories. But, this comes at a price. Certain members of the constabulary must be paid in order to facilitate this roaming procedure.
All things (living organisms, organisations and governments) must change and adapt or suffer demise. Over the years, our anti-corruption efforts have been either short-lived or inadequate. Sometimes they produce so much red tape and bureaucracy that they spawn even more corruption. The current and next elected administration must, therefore, always endeavour to change the course of corruption.
Dr. Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice.
published: Monday | July 23, 2007
Garth Rattray
The popular Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) campaign advertisement has taken Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller's 'We not changing no course' statement out of context and used it to severely criticise and (ostensibly) ridicule the ruling People's National Party (PNP). However, there is some truth to the statement because, in spite of the PNP's prevailing self-confidence, it is evident that after 18 years at the helm, they have not been successful in changing the course of several ills, especially corruption in Jamaica.
Corruption has a lot in common with many infectious diseases. It is highly contagious (corruption in some begets corruption in others). It weakens our society and leaves us vulnerable to crime and violence. It occurs in anyone of any age and anywhere in society. It eventually erodes the pillars of our existence. It is the harbinger of doom and the first note in the death knell for many cultures.
Indiscipline and greed
Corruption is the progeny of indiscipline and greed. It thrives best in an unfair, oppressive, inane or inefficient system. It will, therefore, take a two-pronged attack in order to fight it; one arm involves cleaning up and lightening up on some aspects of the existing bureaucracy and the other involves nabbing the perpetrators with ongoing sting operations.
Corruption must be attacked at every level. Whenever there are large sums of monies involved in any (international or local) government deal or contracts, there ought to be several multidisciplinary persons in on the minute details of the transaction and continuous multi-level checks and balances. They should be transparent and accessible to public scrutiny from the start (after all, it's our hard-earned money).
If we are to be serious about combating corruption, excessive taxes, constrictive red tape and unnecessary delays (sometimes lasting several months or even years) for simple, straightforward governmental procedures and transactions must be reduced or eliminated. Their existence paves the way for 'favours' to expedite, circumvent or shortcut the system and these invariably evolve into outright corruption.
I keep coming back to some of the things that take place on our roads because they epitomise our indiscipline and carry over into other aspects of society. When penalties for traffic violations are purely pecuniary and punitive, people will continue to bribe willing members of the constabulary in order to save time, money and demerit points on their driver's licences. The constabulary, on the other hand, will continuously set speed 'traps' in meaningless places and at meaningless times (like when exiting speed-restricted zones or at 4:00 a.m. in transition zones) for the sole purpose of catching unsuspecting drivers and augmenting their income.
I understand that several members of the constabulary own or co-own tow truck companies - this constitutes a clear conflict of interest and should be forbidden. Others co-opt wrecker services and not only extort the owners of these vehicles but also the ensnared drivers thus making money at both ends of the deal! Several minibus routes are non-viable and, therefore, those operators assigned to them are 'encouraged' to stray into more lucrative territories. But, this comes at a price. Certain members of the constabulary must be paid in order to facilitate this roaming procedure.
All things (living organisms, organisations and governments) must change and adapt or suffer demise. Over the years, our anti-corruption efforts have been either short-lived or inadequate. Sometimes they produce so much red tape and bureaucracy that they spawn even more corruption. The current and next elected administration must, therefore, always endeavour to change the course of corruption.
Dr. Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice.