Majority say progress being made to stamp out corruption: survey

Wednesday, 13 May 2015 01:13 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

In the latest survey conducted by TNS Lanka, for business magazine LMD, the people say that progress is being made under the new regime to weed out bribery and corruption. TNS’ exclusive nationwide poll reveals that a majority 57% of the people believe that progress is being made to stamp out corruption.

However, 34% of those polled state that not enough is being done “to stem the tide,” with some claiming that acts of corruption continue to take place while policymakers simply pay lip service to the issue, LMD reports.

LMD also notes that “according to 67% of the survey sample, people will no longer elect corrupt politicians into power, primarily as a result of the democratic framework that is already in place. Nevertheless, the fact that a third of the people are not confident of this being the case is a cause for concern.”

Equally troubling, it observes, is the belief that state sector officials continue to demand bribes, as stated by 40% of survey respondents – “with some going so far as to rather ominously declare that such instances of bribery ‘can’t be stopped’.”

The May issue of the leading business magazine has been released to supermarkets and bookstores. Its Cover Story features LMD’s take on ‘Sri Lanka’s Best-Kept Secret’ – corruption (for the full story, log on to www.LMD.lk).