Combating corruption

THE LATEST polls commissioned by The Gleaner indicate that the great majority of Jamaicans feel that corruption is more rampant now than five years ago. In 1998 a Transparency International report rated Jamaica at a lowly 3.8 on a scale of one to 10. Jamaica was ranked at 39 among 80 nations. Obviously, things have gotten worse since then.

There have been many calls to examine corruption in the society but not much success. In 1997 the Jamaica Baptist Union passed a resolution asking for the establishment of a Commission on Corruption while the following year the Opposition Leader called for the establishment of a Commission of Truth and Justice to examine corruption.

Moral deterioration is widespread in the nation. Illegality is a way of life for too many. Those who play by the rules often get shafted. Fraud is escalating even in the legal profession. White-collar crimes often go unreported within the financial institutions and at the workplace.

The polls suggest that the highest levels of corruption exist in government and the police, institutions from which the laws are promulgated and in turn enforced. On the face of it that is an untenable situation which leaves little room for correction. Yet there are in fact several agencies that in theory should ensure rectitude and compliance with what the law requires.

There is the Contracts Committee, a Contractor-General and Auditor-General, the Police Complaints Authority and Public Defender, among others. Other initiatives including the Prime Minister's much publicised Values and Attitudes campaign have not made much impact.

Corruption stems from an attitude of lack of accountability to the community. There is the 'me, myself and I' posture that leads to corrupt practices to get ahead in life or to make ends meet. Then there are others who feel free to do whatever, however, wherever and with whomever once it feels good without regard for the rights of others.

The government must lead in the fight against corruption at all levels. It controls much of the agencies and the resources to do the job. We in the media must demand that the promise of transparency is kept so the people at large can help to fight this cancer.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner.

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