Stamp out corruption
Exchanges of brown envelopes full of cash between cowboy builders and government ministers make for good TV and radio, but, as is always the case with corruption, it is the public who eventually pick up the tab.
Corruption is the abuse of power and it is always those without power that suffer the consequences. This is bad enough in rich economies such as Ireland, but in poor countries the consequences can be truly catastrophic.
For years I have been warning of the damage being inflicted on impoverished and vulnerable communities in the developing world by corrupt politicians and government officials. In many countries, corruption is so rife that it has become part of the fabric of everyday life; nothing is done, no service delivered, without the relevant bribe being paid.
Corruption has become one of the main causes for continuing poverty and lack of development.
There have been numerous instances over the years of overseas aid money being siphoned off by corrupt individuals, and it is commonplace for funds earmarked for development projects in slums and villages to disappear.
With our expanding aid budget, there is now a huge responsibility on the Irish Government to ensure the safe delivery of our grants to those in most acute need. Never has there been a greater need for vigilance.
John O’Shea,
GOAL,
PO Box 19,
Dun Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.
