Daily News Editorial

Making Bribery Commission relevant

Wednesday 18th November 2015

 

There is perhaps no other public institution in the country that had come under such close public scrutiny in recent times as the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABC) due to its numerous shenanigans such as attempts to subvert investigations or pure obfuscation. None of the Bribery Commissioners of any vintage have covered themselves with glory, most of them having to step down or retire under a cloud. Perhaps the blackest episode surrounding the Bribery Commission was the recent allegation that the former Chairman of the Commission, himself was involved in an act of impropriety when it is expected by the public that an individual appointed to cleanse public life from the stigma of bribery and corruption should be like Ceaser's wife - above suspicion.

Regrettably though, the Bribery Commission, over the years had failed to inspire public confidence and had been, to all intents and purposes, a White Elephant. This is seen in the disclosure made by the Director General of the CIABC that there was a backlog of cases numbering around 10,000, dating back to 2001. But the most startling revelation was that while the Commission was in need of 800 personnel to function to its optimum, it had to contend with a staff of a mere 154. An immediate probe is in order to ascertain whether there was a deliberate plan to starve the Commission of the necessary manpower in order to undermine investigations against the sharks.

Priority should be given to investigate the allegation that the former Bribery Commissioner had turned back some 50 police officers sent by the IGP to augment the staff of the Commission. Addressing the media on Wednesday to unveil a joint programme to combat Bribery and Corruption DG Dilrukshi Dias Wickremasinghe said: "investigations into some 10,000 complaints against state sector employees are piled up at the Commission." She was determined though that all these complaints would be investigated with her 154 officers working round the clock.

One has to question the DG on the viability of investigating 10,000 complaints against 'state sector' employees. We are not told the nature of these complaints or against whom these complaints have been made. But if it is case of a court clerk taking a pittance from a litigant to shift a case file, a member of the public oiling the palm of a peon in a Kachcheri for the same purpose, or a traffic cop accepting Rs. 1000 from a motorist to look the other way, then the investigations would be an exercise in futility, to put it mildly. For, the general public expect the Commission to go after the big fish, to probe secret accounts of VIP politicians and their progeny, irregularities in awarding tenders worth billions of rupees, Government contracts given to favourites, bribes given to politicians and top bureaucrats to fix deals that involve public funds etc....

True, other organs recently set up, such as the FCID and Special Presidential Commissions etc. have been entrusted with some of these tasks. But the DG should weigh in with her muscle to supplement these investigations by deploying her staff to apprehend the big fish rather than wasting public funds in an unproductive exercise by going after the sprats. There is ample material to go on with. For instance, the Commission, for starters should reopen the case of a Rajapaksa era politician who could not account for a sum of Rs. 400 million that had come his way, and was conveniently stung by a rattle snake, on the day he was asked to report to the Commission to provide an answer. Nothing was heard about the case thereafter, with the politician concerned instead rewarded with Ministerial office. There is also the allegation against the former Bribery Chief himself which the JVP went to town with.

All attempts should be made to unravel the 'cover ups' in the Commission pertaining to important investigations and the culprits exposed. Now that an independent Bribery Commission is in place under the newly established Constitutional Council, the public no doubt would be emboldened to come out with complaints against the high mighty, safe in the notion that there won't be a blow back. The DG's pledge to protect all informers too will be a source of confidence.

The Commission also has decided to join hands with civil society organizations including Transparency International, CaFFE and the Peoples' Action for Free and Fair Elections, for good measure. A combination of bodies working with a common aim no doubt would be a great boon to the DG who has vowed to make Sri Lanka a bribery and corruption free country within the next three years. But the DG we are sure is not unaware that bribery and corruption has made deep inroads into every strand of public life and eaten into the vitals of society. Hers no doubt is going to be a Herculean task. There will be times when she too may come under pressure as we are witnessing in the unfolding drama surrounding Avant Garde. Hence it is important that DG Wickremasinghe stands firm and proceed with her noble task of ridding this country of the canker of bribery and corruption.