by Melani Manel Perera
No economic recovery plan can work without strong action against kleptocratic practices. The NGO makes 15 recommendations for Sri Lankan leaders. They include an open digital platform on donations and loans and use of funds, external audits of public companies and the establishment of an Authority for the recovery and management of illegally acquired assets held abroad.
Colombo (AsiaNews) – Corruption is a major cause of Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis, this according to Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL).
For decades, public resources were misappropriated and poorly managed as a result of kleptocratic practices, systemic corruption and a general lack of transparency and accountability among elected officials and in the public service.
If a solid economic recovery plan is the top priority at present, any effort is likely to fail if the people and agencies tasked with its implementation are corrupt or perceived as such.
For this reason, TISL recently made public 15 recommendations to fight corruption.
The first step is obviously to make sure that government agencies are entrusted to people with a track record showing their integrity and genuine commitment to public service. Along with this, however, certain concrete actions are required.
One is an open digital platform to share all information relating to donations and foreign loans obtained by Sri Lanka with detailed information on their use.
The NGO calls for the repeal of the 20th amendment to the constitution since it removed essential accountability measures in governance.
Provisions should be introduced to strengthen Parliament's oversight of public finances, and mandatory accountability measures should be put in place to supervise public procurement under a National Procurement Commission with supervisory authority.
The NGO has strong reservations about the country’s presidential system because it concentrates power in the hands of a single person, and insists on depoliticising the public service through constitutional changes that would boost the independence of public servants.
TISL goes further, recommending that all state-owned enterprises be subject to external audits to monitor the use of public funds, while concrete action should be taken to recover stolen assets. An independent Asset Management Authority should be established to recover and manage stolen wealth held abroad.
Lastly, a new law is urgently needed to regulate election campaign financing.
“We urge citizens to continue to actively seek information and knowledge on the types and impact of corruption and to be informed of the essential systemic and cultural changes needed to uplift the country,” said Nadishani Perera, TISL’s executive director.
“We stand with citizens in demanding accountability and corrective action from our public representatives in a peaceful manner,” she added. “Together we can weather this storm and create the change we thought may not be possible in our lifetime.”
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