How corrupt are we?

TRANSPARENCY International’s 2008 Corruption Perception Index has just been released.

Namibia has dropped four places in the ranking from 57 in 2007 to 61 in 2008. The corruption index is a measure of public-sector perception of corrupt activities and is drawn from expert and business surveys.While the study may well be criticised for relying on perceptions, it is The Namibian’s view that these are close to reality and have to be taken seriously.The TI index rates Namibia at 4,5 out of a possible 10, which is allocated to countries found to be the least corrupt or where there is no perception of corruption.Our rating indicates that “corruption is perceived as a serious challenge by country experts and businessmen”.There can be little doubt that corruption indices often dictate whether foreign direct investments are on the increase or on the decline.For the expansion of the country and the optimal exploitation of our vast mineral resources, these investments are vital and absolutely necessary.Our status at 4,5 may well be sending a wrong message to potential investors and we need to take stock of the health of our business and administrative environment.Not surprisingly though, there are different views in our society as to what this implies.Namibia has taken strides since 1990 to root out corruption but has not been able to stem the tide.The Anti-Corruption Commission’s director, Paulus Noa, says that Namibians should not despair about the country’s slide.He adds that TI should give credit to efforts made by Namibia to fight corruption.”We are on the right track.”Many Namibians would not agree with this positive take on our graft problems.It is a fact that some of our government officials have taken bribes.Some have used government channels to pursue business and financial interests, and others have abused their government positions to secure their financial futures while in office and supposedly serving at the behest of the nation.But this is no different to well-established democracies such as the UK and France where corruption falls under the guise of “commissions”.They and others have played a big role in corrupting the political elites of developing countries.When massive deals are at stake between the so-called First World countries and Third World states, bribing politicians in charge of tenders and projects for arms deals, massive construction developments and the like, the “commissions” paid by the First World states carry the blessing of their governments.It is not only incumbent on us to pull up our socks and bring the local culprits to book, but to persuade the governments of countries abroad to do likewise and stamp out the equally corrupt activities of their businessmen and businesswomen who traipse the globe handing out pieces of silver.Successive colonial regimes have corrupted a few of our politicians who simply became collaborators.Now our own elected leaders are doing the same to their own people.This must stop, whether it is at the highest level of government or stealing a colleague’s lunch from a communal kitchen shared by workers.The simple values of honesty, integrity, humility and solidarity are applicable to all members of our society.Corruption is corruption, whether it is committed at the highest level of political office or the lowest level of manual work.It is a disease that our people must get rid of and we appeal to all Namibians to be on the lookout for those people who are blemishing our reputation and our integrity.While the index is a powerful statement of our health and the environment that we are building for all to live productive lives, we should be striving to get our own act together and not succumb to the lure of Mammon.At the same time, the “supply side” of corruption (the governments that authorise bribery) should be put in the dock for their failure to live up to the promise of mutual accountability in the war against corruption.The corruption index is a measure of public-sector perception of corrupt activities and is drawn from expert and business surveys.While the study may well be criticised for relying on perceptions, it is The Namibian’s view that these are close to reality and have to be taken seriously.The TI index rates Namibia at 4,5 out of a possible 10, which is allocated to countries found to be the least corrupt or where there is no perception of corruption.Our rating indicates that “corruption is perceived as a serious challenge by country experts and businessmen”.There can be little doubt that corruption indices often dictate whether foreign direct investments are on the increase or on the decline.For the expansion of the country and the optimal exploitation of our vast mineral resources, these investments are vital and absolutely necessary.Our status at 4,5 may well be sending a wrong message to potential investors and we need to take stock of the health of our business and administrative environment.Not surprisingly though, there are different views in our society as to what this implies.Namibia has taken strides since 1990 to root out corruption but has not been able to stem the tide.The Anti-Corruption Commission’s director, Paulus Noa, says that Namibians should not despair about the country’s slide.He adds that TI should give credit to efforts made by Namibia to fight corruption.”We are on the right track.”Many Namibians would not agree with this positive take on our graft problems.It is a fact that some of our government officials have taken bribes.Some have used government channels to pursue business and financial interests, and others have abused their government positions to secure their financial futures while in office and supposedly serving at the behest of the nation.But this is no different to well-established democracies such as the UK and France where corruption falls under the guise of “commissions”.They and others have played a big role in corrupting the political elites of developing countries.When massive deals are at stake between the so-called First World countries and Third World states, bribing politicians in charge of tenders and projects for arms deals, massive construction developments and the like, the “commissions” paid by the First World states carry the blessing of their governments.It is not only incumbent on us to pull up our socks and bring the local culprits to book, but to persuade the governments of countries abroad to do likewise and stamp out the equally corrupt activities of their businessmen and businesswomen who traipse the globe handing out pieces of silver.Successive colonial regimes have corrupted a few of our politicians who simply became collaborators.Now our own elected leaders are doing the same to their own people.This must stop, whether it is at the highest level of government or stealing a colleague’s lunch from a communal kitchen shared by workers.The simple values of honesty, integrity, humility and solidarity are applicable to all members of our society.Corruption is corruption, whether it is committed at the highest level of political office or the lowest level of manual work.It is a disease that our people must get rid of and we appeal to all Namibians to be on the lookout for those people who are blemishing our reputation and our integrity.While the index is a powerful statement of our health and the environment that we are building for all to live productive lives, we should be striving to get our own act together and not succumb to the lure of Mammon.At the same time, the “supply side” of corruption (the governments that authorise bribery) should be put in the dock for their failure to live up to the promise of mutual accountability in the war against corruption.