Presenting his first budget on Monday, Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe said a new economic order would be introduced to suit world trends and highlighted that Sri Lanka would embark on this new path through the 2023 budget. The President said the economic order introduced in 1978 was no longer valid. “Our aim now is to take the country towards a new economic order. Sri Lanka will move towards a social market economy through the budget,” he said.  There was a mix response to the budget proposal with some parties saying it was a lot of talk and little action would be taken to help the millions of people who are suffering due to the high cost of living, lack of proper food, shelter, clothing, education and healthcare facilities. Other analysts said that if the President did not deal immediately and effectively to tackle the widespread cancer of bribery and corruption, his proposals would be like a flat tyre. 

On December 8, the United Nations marks the International Anti-corruption Day with the theme being “Your right, your role: Say no to corruption”. In a statement, the world body says Corruption affects all areas of society. Preventing corruption unlocks progress towards the sustainable development goals, helps protect our planet, creates jobs, achieves gender equality, and secures wider access to essential services such as healthcare and education. 

According to the UN, while it is everyone’s right to benefit from strong anti-corruption efforts, misconduct and wrongdoing is stealing away valuable resources at a time when they are most needed to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 crisis. The Anti-Corruption Day seeks to highlight the rights and responsibilities of everyone - including States, Government officials, civil servants, law enforcement officers, media representatives, the private sector, civil society, academia, the public and youth - in tackling corruption.

And yet it is not only countries that need to unite and face this global problem with shared responsibility. Every single person - young and old - has a role to play to prevent and counter corruption, to promote resilience and integrity at all levels of society.

To achieve this, policies, systems and measures need to be in place for people to be able to speak up and say no to corruption. The United Nations Convention against Corruption emphasizes the responsibility of Governments to put in place effective whistle-blower protection to ensure that persons who speak up are protected from retaliation. These measures contribute to effective, accountable and transparent institutions towards a culture of integrity and fairness.

 A six-week campaign beginning from November last year aims to highlight the role of key stakeholders and individuals in preventing and countering corruption in line with the theme, “Your right, your role: say no to corruption”. Each week the UN focuses on one of these key topics: Education and youth, sport, Gender, Private sector, COVID-19, International cooperation

The UN says reducing the risks of mismanagement and corruption during the pandemic requires the involvement of strong anti-corruption bodies, better oversight over emergency support packages, more open and transparent public procurement and enhanced anti-corruption compliance by the private sector. In addition, countries also need to ensure support to and protection for whistleblowers and journalists uncovering corruption during the pandemic and bring their national anti-corruption frameworks in line with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).

Corruption is a complex social, political and economic phenomenon that affects all countries. Corruption undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development and contributes to governmental instability. Corruption attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quagmires whose only reason for existing is the soliciting of bribes. Economic development is stunted because foreign direct investment is discouraged and small businesses within the country often find it impossible to overcome the “start-up costs” required because of corruption.

In fighting bribery and corruption, we need to remember the powerful words of American novelist and poet Josiah Gilbert Holland. He said, “God, give us men!, a time like this demands, strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands; Men whom the lust of office does not kill; men whom the spoils of office cannot buy; men who possess opinions and a will; men who have honour; men who will not lie; men who can stand before a demagogue, and damn his treacherous flatteries without winking, tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog, in public duty, and in private thinking; for while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds, their large professions and their little deeds, mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps, wrong rules the land and waiting
Justice sleeps.”