According to Fernando Lugo, the new President of Paraguay, the fight against poverty goes hand in hand with the fight against corruption. To put it bluntly, GDP growth and job creation alone, no matter how upbeat, do not provide "an antidote to poverty". Why? Because poverty is created, or exacerbated, when "national" prosperity is diverted massively and subtly into the pockets of the "chosen few". How? Through "privatisation" of policies and lullabies filled with distorted data. Should the legislation proposal submitted by the Independent Commission against Corruption to query dubious asset ownership and prosecute offenders be enforced, it could potentially turn out to be a critical disincentive against graft. To be even more effective overseas purchases should also be scrutinised.
There are indeed many levels at which the cancer of corruption is operating. And yes, we should definitely look abroad too.
ReplyDeleteWe've been losing the battle against poverty and corruption.
ReplyDeleteWho would guess that in the country that developed the world's best smartphones, some safety systems would be so lax as to cause deaths of hundreds, and reveal such a corroded system? Beware Dodoland, it's never too late to invest in compliance at all levels... starting with our own political system.
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