How Do We Root Out Corruption?

EVERYBODY is talking about corruption.

Our leaders have gone to the extent of setting up a body to tackle issues of corruption with the aim of rooting it out. The thing is that they look at the surface and not at the root problem.When do you actually become corrupt? It is when you are greedy? When you want to become rich overnight? When you have been poor all your life and suddenly become powerful? Now you want to get rich quickly and along the way wants to enrich your family, relatives and friends.What is the root of corruption, especially in Government circles? When do you accept a bribe? Why do we have corruption in our Police force, Ministry of Finance, Government and society? I don’t know.I am just trying to find logical answers.Let us have a look at our leaders.Are they actually being compensated enough to say no to bribes? Let us have a look at our President.He has many responsibilities on his shoulders – the whole Namibia in fact.Is he being compensated accordingly? I understand that President Thabo Mbeki gets less than the national soccer coach in South Africa – does this coach deserve this kind of pay? Yes, he does if you want to compete with the world, you pay accordingly.I think President Mbeki is being underpaid by his government, that is why there is so much corruption in South Africa.I am not saying that President Mbeki is corrupt.What would really happen if they pay President Mbeki $100 000 a month? What would happen if we pay our Police force what they really deserve? With the kind of income of South Africa from taxes etc.they can easily pay Thabo Mbeki $1 000 000 month.If they can pay a CEO $100 000 to $200 000 per month, the President deserves more because he holds the wellbeing of the country in his hands.Our President Pohamba certainly deserves more, his Cabinet leaders also deserve more.What will happen if the Minister of Health and Minister of Finance etc are paid what they deserve? People in their ministries will be paid accordingly and tax fraud etc will disappear.The unhappy policemen will be satisfied and perform again.He/she will not take $300 for a bribe.We will have a happy and satisfied society once again.We will have an efficient and effective government etc.So, one of the reasons why there is so much corruption in our continent is, people are not compensated very well.Why is there so much conflict on the continent? Why would a leader grab farms from owners and give it to his family, relatives and friends? Greediness? Why would a leader choose the majority of leaders and ministries from his/her own tribe? Why would a leader only want to enrich and empower his own tribe? Why do we have leaders who cling to power? This is the root of corruption and we should deal with it to make Africa a healthy continent.Let the leaders be compensated according to their responsibility.By the way, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is not on the same level.There must be a difference in their job categories.They cannot be compensated equally.In Finance money can disappear if there is corruption.I am not saying that Ministry of Health is less important, but that the work load differs.They should be compensated in accordance with this.Do we have the money? Yes, we have enough from taxes etc.If a leader like Pohamba earns enough, he will stretch himself.We will have a healthy government.He will have a healthy government by the end of his term and would not want to cling to power, unless he is wanted, unless he has done so much and the people want him to stay on.What if a police constable earns a cool $6 000? He would like to perform and stay in the police force.He will not say yes to $300 bribe.He will investigate cases as quickly as possible.The result is that we will have an efficient and effective police force.What about the nurse at the hospital? What will happen if he/she is compensated well.They will be satisfied and will perform properly.These are just examples.By the way why doesn’t our government not set up an independent careers office.It will be an independent body, that will recruit on behalf of the government.It will also help with the corruption issue.What if every Minister who is chosen is asked to draw up a plan of action for his/her ministry for that particular term? He/she must come with a proposal as to what will be done or achieved by him/her in his/her term.If there a shortage of qualified doctors – what will he/she do to rectify the problem.Look at the pay, benefits conditions etc.what will they do to improve health care – to give quality health care to the citizens of the country.If a plan of action is met after 5 years etc perhaps this person could stay on to do more, otherwise they must be replaced.I think these are some ways in which we can fight and root out corruption.W.Bezuidenhoudt WindhoekThe thing is that they look at the surface and not at the root problem.When do you actually become corrupt? It is when you are greedy? When you want to become rich overnight? When you have been poor all your life and suddenly become powerful? Now you want to get rich quickly and along the way wants to enrich your family, relatives and friends.What is the root of corruption, especially in Government circles? When do you accept a bribe? Why do we have corruption in our Police force, Ministry of Finance, Government and society? I don’t know.I am just trying to find logical answers.Let us have a look at our leaders.Are they actually being compensated enough to say no to bribes? Let us have a look at our President.He has many responsibilities on his shoulders – the whole Namibia in fact.Is he being compensated accordingly? I understand that President Thabo Mbeki gets less than the national soccer coach in South Africa – does this coach deserve this kind of pay? Yes, he does if you want to compete with the world, you pay accordingly.I think President Mbeki is being underpaid by his government, that is why there is so much corruption in South Africa.I am not saying that President Mbeki is corrupt.What would really happen if they pay President Mbeki $100 000 a month? What would happen if we pay our Police force what they really deserve? With the kind of income of South Africa from taxes etc.they can easily pay Thabo Mbeki $1 000 000 month.If they can pay a CEO $100 000 to $200 000 per month, the President deserves more because he holds the wellbeing of the country in his hands.Our President Pohamba certainly deserves more, his Cabinet leaders also deserve more.What will happen if the Minister of Health and Minister of Finance etc are paid what they deserve? People in their ministries will be paid accordingly and tax fraud etc will disappear.The unhappy policemen will be satisfied and perform again.He/she will not take $300 for a bribe.We will have a happy and satisfied society once again.We will have an efficient and effective government etc.So, one of the reasons why there is so much corruption in our continent is, people are not compensated very well.Why is there so much conflict on the continent? Why would a leader grab farms from owners and give it to his family, relatives and friends? Greediness? Why would a leader choose the majority of leaders and ministries from his/her own tribe? Why would a leader only want to enrich and empower his own tribe? Why do we have leaders who cling to power? This is the root of corruption and we should deal with it to make Africa a healthy continent.Let the leaders be compensated according to their responsibility.By the way, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is not on the same level.There must be a difference in their job categories.They cannot be compensated equally.In Finance money can disappear if there is corruption.I am not saying that Ministry of Health is less important, but that the work load differs.They should be compensated in accordance with this.Do we have the money? Yes, we have enough from taxes etc.If a leader like Pohamba earns enough, he will stretch himself.We will have a healthy government.He will have a healthy government by the end of his term and would not want to cling to power, unless he is wanted, unless he has done so much and the people want him to stay on.What if a police constable earns a cool $6 000? He would like to perform and stay in the police force.He will not say yes to $300 bribe.He will investigate cases as quickly as possible.The result is that we will have an efficient and effective police force.What about the nurse at the hospital? What will happen if he/she is compensated well.They will be satisfied and will perform properly.These are just examples.By the way why doesn’t our government not set up an independent careers office.It will be an independent body, that will recruit on behalf of the government.It will also help with the corruption issue.What if every Minister who is chosen is asked to draw up a plan of action for his/her ministry for that particular term? He/she must come with a proposal as to what will be done or achieved by him/her in his/her term.If there a shortage of qualified doctors – what will he/she do to rectify the problem.Look at the pay, benefits conditions etc.what will they do to improve health care – to give quality health care to the citizens of the country.If a plan of action is met after 5 years etc perhaps this person could stay on to do more, otherwise they must be replaced.I think these are some ways in which we can fight and root out corruption.W.Bezuidenhoudt Windhoek