We have been hearing a lot on this subject and have observed a lot of what is happening in India concerning steps that are required to be taken to curtail this situation. I was listening to Farid Zakaria of CNN and TIME Magazine and he stated a novel idea concocted by no other than an Indian by the name of Bassu which is, I think a novel and workable solution and which if implemented could irradiate this scourge from face of Mother India including Goa. It would mean,however, a change in the current legislation which punishes both the bribe giver and the bribe recipient. This law therefore is unjust since the Givers of bribes possibly have no other alternative but to grease the palms of the officials in order to get the services they require. The receiver on the other hand is paid by the Government with taxpayers funds and the official fees charged to perform the duties which is their job to do and for which they receive remuneration. Under the current law for example if a clerk in the Land transfer and registration office asks for and receives a bribe to process a document, and if this official is caught, and fined Rs 100.00 a similar fine is also imposed on the Giver thus the Government receives a revenue of Rs 200.00 from this case. In this same instance under the Amended law, if the person was caught, the giver of the bribe would not be prosecuted nor pay any penalty to the Government, Instead, the penalty to the Bribe recipient would double. The Government would not be out of any revenue, and this would open the door for persons who are being asked for bribes to report the persons soliciting such bribes who would be prosecuted and the person reporting such wrong doing would not. This is a more just situation. I think that since Goa is one of the smallest States, we should petition the Government of Goa to enact this law and immediately implement it. I am sure it will work and the rest of India could learn from us and do the same.
Regards. Manuel ( Eddie) Tavares.
