Lofty aspirations on rotten foundations

The urgent need to probe fraud and corruption in local government bodies

I was glad to hear Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer Mustapha announce that a coordination unit will be set up for probing fraud and corruption of local government bodies.

While I commend the Ministry for this effort, I hope that this unit will not fizzle and lose momentum in a few weeks after the initial media attention.

Lately, it seems like many other commissions and investigations undertaken tend to wither away with no result. In order to truly weed out corruption in local government bodies and make an impact, I hope Mustapha and the co-ordination unit will do the following:

1. While investigating serious fraud, the co-ordination unit should also look into the improper way local governing bodies have granted approvals and licenses for commercial activities and buildings in localities. Often one looks at structures and commercial establishments which flagrantly violate zoning and building laws and wonder how such structures and businesses were ever granted permission. It is common knowledge in many provincial councils politicians pressure officials, and political affiliations and a quick bribe will seal the deal without having to go through proper procedures, laws and the relevant checks and balances. It is time that this stops.

2. Take initiatives to get the public involved to bring attention to corruption/illegal activities and then expedite action. In a news report announcing the co-ordination unit, it was mentioned that the Bribery Commission investigated a bribery complaint five years after it was lodged! That is unacceptable. Investing a complaint five years after it was lodged is almost like calling an ambulance and then having arrive at your doorstep a week later. It is no wonder the public has lost faith in the system.

3. Regular updates on progress. I hope that the Ministry will take the steps to update the public with monthly reports on progress and that the media will also shine a constant spotlight on such initiatives and make sure that the unit follows through on its promise.

In the 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, Sri Lanka occupies a lowly 85th place among 174 countries. A country gripped in corruption from a grass root level to higher echelons of office can never fulfil its lofty aspirations of benchmarking against Singapore (incidentally, ranked No. 7 on the index) when its very foundations are rotten.

The Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry’s coordination unit for probing fraud and corruption of local government bodies is a small but crucial step in a series of much needed initiatives required to purge Sri Lanka from corruption.

Kumar Perera - Dehiwala