Corruption is king What the OAS has to say

October 05, 2002
By Bukka Rennie

Repeatedly you hear from supposedly intelligent people that corruption is not an issue in this election.

One female lawyer and a lecturer in constitutional law even had the audacity to attempt to forestall the US courts from allowing certain disclosures from a US corporation that had dealings with the previous T&T regime - the exposure of corruption, they claimed, was being used politically during this election season. Supposedly intelligent people, I say.

Now up steps another such person, an executive member of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) to pontificate about "irresponsible political campaigning" and the cumulative effect that campaign promises will have on the economy if implemented, but not one word to warn this society about the depths of the damage that corruption can have and have had on economies around the world in recent times. What all these supposedly intelligent citizens of substance fail to comprehend is that a thief is a thief is a thief and that crime begets crime.

Criminal activity by political and social leaders at the top, activity that disregards the law and imputes civic impropriety at the top, filters down to all levels of the society.

"If the priest could play who is we?"

If you could spend billions of dollars illegally and get away, if you could possess huge bank accounts that cannot be explained, why someone else cannot rob somebody or kidnap somebody and demand $2 million?

On March 29, 1996, at a plenary session of the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption, the OAS member States passed the following resolution on Corruption:
"...The member States of the OAS, convinced that corruption undermines the legitimacy of public institutions and strikes at society, moral order and justice, as well as at the comprehensive development of peoples, (wish to) persuade that fighting corruption strengthens democratic institutions and prevents distortions in the economy, prevents improprieties in public administration and damage to a society’s moral fiber..."

The resolution went on to demand "...the prompt adoption of an international instrument to promote and facilitate international co-operation in fighting corruption and, especially, in taking appropriate action against persons who commit acts of corruption in the performance of public functions..."

It goes on to also demand that systems be established "...to register the income, assets and liabilities of persons who perform public functions in certain posts as specified by law and, where appropriate, making such registrations public, that there be systems of government hiring and procurement of goods and services which assure openness, equity and efficiency..."

And in the said resolution there is clear definition as to what constitutes "corruption".

It says, inter alia, "...the solicitation or acceptance, directly or indirectly, by a government official or a person who performs public functions, of any article of monetary value, or other benefit, such as a gift, favour, promise or advantage for himself or for another person or entity, in exchange for any act or omission in the performance of his public functions... (also) the fraudulent use or concealment of property derived from such acts..."

Then the resolution goes on to describe "illicit enrichment" and calls on all member States "...to take the necessary measures to establish under its laws as an offence any significant increase in the asset of a government official that he cannot reasonably explain in relation to his lawful earnings during the performance of his functions..." It is also interesting that the resolution demands that member States establish treaties and agreements to assist each other in identifying, tracing, freezing, seizure and forfeiture of property obtained by corrupt means, and most of all that public servants and private citizens who in good faith report acts of corruption be provided with full protection.

Once wonders if AmCham and the lawyers mentioned above are aware that such a resolution was passed by the OAS since 1996.

There is only one issue in this election, one issue! Corruption must never be king!