------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre Ph:2252660 Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------- Fight corruption unitedly, Ribeiro urges citizens ------------------------------------------------------------- Fight corruption by coming together in groups for there is power in numbers! Corrupt officials are helpless before the united strength of citizens. These messages came from the former police commissioner of Mumbai police, Mr Julio Ribeiro who spoke at a day-long workshop on "Curbing Corruption" organised jointly by the Nitoll Jinn Trust and the International Centre at Dona Paula today.
Buttressing Mr Ribeiro's argument, the Central Vigilance Commissioner from Delhi, Mr P Shankar urged citizens to raise their voices against corruption because "the meek shall not inherit the earth."
Speaking of his experience in fighting corruption in Mumbai, Mr Ribeiro spoke of several success stories where the power of people had overcome harassment by sarkari babus. He said one slum-dweller woman complained to him how officials were delaying issuing a ration card to her. He discovered that there were other women in the "mohalla" who were having the same difficulty. He advised them to approach the officials all together. They did and their problem was solved, Mr Ribeiro said.
Mr Ribeiro, no longer liking the sobriquet of "Supercop" as "lot of thugs are now called Supercops" said he and many high-profile personalities in Mumbai were working towards curbing corruption and communalism there.
"Use your own clout but use the clout of your whole group. Lots of young people want to join in our movement but you must select these people with care," he said.
The Central Vigilance Commissioner, Mr P Shankar said that unless the heads of state vigilance commissions and the state Anti-corruption Bureau do not enjoy security of tenure, they will remain ineffective. He said if found non-cooperative, the heads of these bodies can be shunted out. Mr Shankar advised that this issue should be agitated to secure security and independence for the heads of these bodies.
He also explained that the Central Vigilance Commission's role is limited to Delhi and the Central government. "We are not like the National Human Rights Commission, our jurisdiction does not extend beyond Delhi."
Mr Shankar urged the simplification of procedures, the use of information technology and E-governance to enhance transparency in government to curb corruption. "Corruption levels in government departments are inversely proportional to the effectiveness of grievance redressal machinery," he said.
Mr Shankar therefore advised the setting up of counters, what he described as facilitation centres, at some public departments like Passport office, excise, income-tax where people having problems could approach for help. "If you can demonstrate this at a few public places, you can curb corruption and people will cooperate," Mr Shankar said.
The Chief Secretary of Goa, Mr D S Negi spoke on the steps taken by the Goa government to curb corruption while the chairman of Nitoll Jinn Trust, Mr Arvind Bhatikar spoke of the lacuna in system.
Justice J F Couto, former chairman of Goa's Anti-Corruption Commission and Dr V A Pai Panandikar, Trustee of The International Centre also spoke. The consensus was that cynicism should not be allowed to develop in the fight against corruption and the fight itself should never be given up. -------------------------------------------- The Navhind Times 8/2/04 page 1 --------------------------------------------
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