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**** Goanet Classifieds ****
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Enescil, a Brazilian engineering firm requires Engineers, Architects
and Draftsmen, proficient in AutoCAD, for their new office in Goa
Those interested can email [email protected] by 15 November 2011
Selected candidates will be sent to Brazil for 2 months training
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Tipping the scales of corruption
India is approaching a tipping point in tackling corruption, campaigners
say, with a former government minister on trial and hope of tougher new
laws to tackle top level graft. the threat from corruption to India's
emerging status on the world stage -- and how to tackle it -- was a
recurring theme among senior business leaders and policymakers at a two-
day conference that ended in Mumbai
India's richest man Mukesh Ambani talked of the urgent need to improve
governance while the incoming Confederation of Indian Industry
president, Adi Godrej, said successfully fighting the problem could
boost foreign investment.
But whichever way the issue is framed, doing nothing was no longer an
option for India as it seeks a more prominent role in world affairs,
said Huguette Labelle, head of global anti- corruption watchdog
Transparency International.
" Something can be done.
The issue is, will it be done?" she said on the sidelines of the India
Economic Summit. " But hopefully there's a point of no return at this
stage." This year has been a watershed for India in tackling bribery and
corruption, which has been described as endemic in society and blights
the daily lives of millions. Last week, former telecoms minister A. Raja
and top executives went on trial over the sale of mobile phone licenses
to favoured firms at cut- down rates that is thought to have cost
India's treasury up to $ 40 billion in lost revenue.
Officials in charge of last year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi are
also facing trial after claims of widescale graft at the event, which
was dogged by chronic delays and complaints of shoddy infrastructure and
poor organisation.
Both contributed to a wave of popular anger that culminated in
nationwide protests in support of social activist Anna Hazare, who went
on hunger strike to demand amendments to new government anti- corruption
legislation.
Hazare and his supporters are now waiting to see whether parliament
agrees to their demands to create an independent ombudsman with powers
to investigate the prime minister, top officials and the judiciary.
The 74- year- old has threatened another hunger strike if the bill does
not become law by the end of the winter session of parliament on
December 21.
With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government tainted by a series of
scandals, Labelle said that being seen to be tough on tackling
corruption and getting its own house in order will be vital for New Delhi.
" What will be important for the government is to ensure that its laws
are implemented and enforced," she added. " I don't think that one can
be complacent and say that it's business as usual. It will be very
important for India to take this seriously, as I presume they are."
Transparency International said 54 percent of Indians had to pay a bribe
last year to receive basic services -- well above the Asia- Pacific
average of 31 percent and the 49 percent globally.
" To me, it's an indicator that corruption is high and it's important
for society, government and business to get together and fix it," said
Labelle.
Labelle said India needed to tackle the problem before it was too late.
" When a country gets totally destabilised by a population -- a
revolution -- you don't know where it's going to end, when it's going to
end and you lose years of development," she added. " So, it's much
better to do it in an orderly but timely way." There are signs that many
Indians have grasped the nettle over corruption.
Prominent business leaders have written to the government, calling for
action against " galloping corruption", saying that constant demands for
kickbacks and cash threatened economic growth. Labelle said movements
like Hazare's were " useful" to spread awareness and force change but
business must also play a role, becoming more transparent and using
technology to cut opportunities for graft.
" As India opens up to the world, it can't shy away from if it wants to
be a global player," she said.
http://www.epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=2537&boxid=61330859&uid=&dat=11/17/2011
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