Amend the law to also focus on private sector corruption

Nov 25, 2013 News

---

– Professor Monroe  

Corruption destroys the social fabric of a nation and its price is measured not only by the amount paid in a bribe or siphoned off but it also includes the disservice done, such as the incomplete bridge or school or the substandard works delivered on a road project.
These were among the sentiments shared when Transparency International Guyana Inc, (TIGI) hosted its second annual fundraising dinner at the Pegasus Hotel on Friday evening.

Scores of prominent members of society as well as members of the Diplomatic Corps were in attendance at the dinner, which featured eminent Jamaican Professor and activist, Trevor Munroe, who also serves as the Executive Director of the National Integrity Action of Jamaica.
Other speakers included Maximilian Heywood, the Programme Coordinator for the Americas at Transparency International in Berlin, Germany; President of the local chapter, Anand Goolsarran; Dr Arif Bulkan as well as Mellissa Ifill, TIGI’s Vice President.
Goolsarran did indicate to those in attendance that Head of State, Donald Ramotar was invited to attend the function but had declined, saying that he was not feeling well.
The TIGI President also informed that a number of Government Ministers and officials were invited to attend but none showed up.
British High Commissioner to Guyana, Ambassador Andre Ayre, in a brief presentation, told those gathered at the Savannah Suite that corruption is a societal ill that exists everywhere and in each country around the world, including developed ones such as Britain, Canada and the US.
He said, however, that the effects of corruption are more severely felt in the developing nations.
“Corruption damages development,” said Ambassador Ayre, who added that it is for this reason the recent G20 Summit decided to implement an Anti-Corruption Action Plan.
Britain, he said, is committed to helping to stamp out corruption worldwide and that is why it assists in funding Transparency International.
“It also happens to be the right thing to do,” said Ambassador Ayre.
He said that for those who believe that corruption is a victimless crime, they are wrong and pointed out that globally, six per cent of GDP is lost to corruption.
Ambassador Ayre, explained that if the average is six per cent then in countries where the incidents of bribery and corruption are even more prevalent, this average would certainly be higher.
“There is an inverse relationship between corruption and development; the more corruption the less development,” the Ambassador said.
Reducing corruption boosts development and allows for the provision of much needed services by government to its citizens and also creates a better business environment for international investors, according to the Ambassador.
He said that the only downside to tackling corruption and transparency is that the few who enrich themselves from illicit means would no longer be able to do that.
“Sounds like a no brainer to me,” said Ambassador Ayre.

The featured speaker for the night was Professor Trevor Monroe, who focused on political corruption.
He defined this to be, the abuse of entrusted political power by those in authority for illicit gains.
“You are not alone,” said Professor Monroe who pointed out that studies have found that political corruption is a matter discussed all across the Caribbean by ordinary people.
Other surveys, he said, indicated that corruption is the most talked about issue across the world.
He said that many of the countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) perceive their governments to be lawless and looking out for themselves and not the interest of the people.
According to Professor Monroe, the United Nations had found that 30 per cent of all developmental aid to countries such as Guyana is siphoned off.
This, he said, means that for every $1M in developmental aid to build roads for example, $300,000 is siphoned off into the pockets of corrupt public officials.
He said that international partners must understand that the developmental aid it gives to countries come from their taxpayers and as such they have an obligation to ensure that it reaches, “our taxpayers, our people and is not interrupted along the road.”
He said too that another area that has to be addressed is bribes paid by the Private Sector to corrupt officials so that they can secure contracts as well as to influence Government officials.
The Professor said that agencies such as Transparency International have to pay more careful attention to the abuse of market power for private gain by transnational corporations.
He urged that countries such as Guyana need to amend its laws to ensure that there is much more focus on Private Sector corruption “as you do on the Public Sector aspect of it.”

---

---