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| Picture source: Google Attitude of indifference-dangerous |
“Break the Corruption Chain,” is this year’s theme for the International
Corruption Day marked on December 9. The theme cannot be more appropriate
because if the fight on corruption is to be won, there is a need to break the
chain. Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) also declared December 10 to 17 as
National Anti Corruption Week.
The last day of the weeklong commemoration fell on December 17, our National
Day. The timing could not have been more appropriate because His Majesty’s this
year’s National Day Speech carried a loud and clear message on corruption and
the dangers of Bhutanese indifferent attitude towards corruptions.
This attitude is dangerous because corruption can then become deeply
entrenched in the system and if it does, rooting out will require herculean
task. It is important that corruption is not allowed to take root in the first
place. With His Majesty, calling upon the nation to change our attitude, it is
expected to give a shot in the arm on the fight against corruption.
His Majesty’s speech also made
one thing clear that there is no such thing as big and small corruption. His
Majesty said that perpetrators must be dealt firmly no matter how high or
powerful someone is. This dispels the notion of people who are beginning to
think that it is only those ordinary citizens upon whom laws are applied while
the rich and the powerful remain untouched.
Anti Corruption Commission under
its capable leader in Dasho Neten Zangmo is doing a commendable job despite
challenges. Bhutanese must appreciate what ACC is doing and offer support to
make our society free of this scourge of corruption.
Despite efforts of ACC and stringent laws, there is a feeling among
general people that corruption is on the rise and in more sophisticated form.
This is a cause of concern for all the right thinking people. The irony is
that, some people in positions could be exploiting loopholes in the systems to
carryout acts of corruption. And when such a thing takes place, it becomes all
the more difficult to detect corruption. They do it by bending laws and
hijacking the authority they wield.
Corruption could be taking place in various government agencies and
organizations but, it is thought to be rampant in construction industry.
Nepotism, cost escalations, additional works, pending bills, awarding works
without bidding, limited inquiries, etc all provide rooms for corruption and
people are thought to be exploiting these loopholes rampantly. Corruption could
also be taking place many other areas and our indifferent attitude is allowing
it to take different dimensions.
After a series of high profile corruption cases in the past, people now
eagerly follow the Lhakhang Karpo corruption case. People heard of this case
but after the indefinite lull in the talk, people thought the matter must have
been closed until mainstream media wrote of the Office of Attorney General (OAG)
preparing prosecution.
There was a similar case in Yongla Gonpa re-constructions which the ACC
investigated and the OAG prosecuted some engineers. What was surprising was
that, the guilty accepted the charges and agreed to repay the embezzled amount.
He was back in his job and in same position. People still asks, how this is
even possible.
In the corporate world, the recent deliberation in the National Council
on exponential raise of salaries and Bhutanese individuals owning fleet of
trucks for transportation under Indian registration are new dimensions of
corruptions and these may just be the tip of an iceberg.
Misuse of professional and positional authority to carry out acts of
nepotism, bypassing existing laws also happen potentially for unknown
kickbacks. A mining can be in the guise of land development. Quarrying can be
in the name of surface collection. Local concerns can be superseded, so on and
so forth, the list can become long.
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| picture: Google |
How do we deal with this kind of corruption? I am sure; people who
misuse their authorities and indulge in corruption must have listened to what
His Majesty said during the 107th National Day. Hello there, you on
the cozy chair, His Majesty was speaking to people like you out there.
Finally, let’s all make this pledge not to be corrupt and also shed this
attitude of indifference because we all care for our country. If we care, we
must dare and because we care we should dare too.
Thank you.
Gyembo Namgyal
December 18, 2014
07:30 PM
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