The damaging effect of greed and corruption on the country’s administration has now dawned even on some sections in the government ranks. Home Affairs Minister Chandrasiri Gajadheera has said that bribery and corruption has become a deep rooted disease in our society and that efforts even greater than those made to eradicate terrorism have to be undertaken to eliminate corruption. The Minister has made these remarks while addressing a ceremony to mark International Anti -Corruption Day that fell on December 9. Minister Gajadheera has added that some persons enjoying power take bribes as commissions with impunity while the less privileged accused of bribery are hauled before courts and punished. 

The people of this country are obviously concerned and indignant about the way the national assets and resources are frittered away by unscrupulous politicians and officials through corruption, extravagance and wasteful exercises. They detest these persons, curse them and invite god’s fury on them. But very few among these concerned persons take any positive action that would contribute to curing or curbing the malaise.

It is in this context that the rewarding of some persons who have made considerable contributions to checking the spreading cancer has to be appreciated. At a function held on Tuesday at BMICH to mark the Anti-corruption Day, Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) rewarded an investigative journalist, a school teacher and a police officer for their active roles in this campaign against corruption.  

The three recipients of these awards from the founder of Transparency International Peter Eigen were, journalist Thusitha Pitigala, teacher cum trade unionist Priyantha Dissanayake and Officer-In-Charge of the Pothuhera Police Station, Deshabandu Senaratne. Thusitha  has been given the award for the outstanding contribution he has made by unearthing corruption through his programme ‘Vimarshana,’ on Sirasa TV thus compelling official action against those indulging in fraud and corruption.

Referring to the difficulties he faces in producing the programme Thusitha stressed the need for state protection for the informants who assist the production of the programme. He cited the Blood Bank incident that he exposed through his programme and said the Bribery or Corruption Commission had not been able to protect Blood Bank officials who were transferred out from their position after they testified in the inquiry. Thusitha has vowed to continue the programme that he had conducted for five years despite the difficulties since the public demand for it has increased with the steady rise in the level of corruption in our society. Thusitha has said the award would be an incentive to other media organizations also to engage more actively in anti-corruption campaigns.  

The award-receiving teacher Priyantha Dissanayake has said that he had survived an LTTE attack at the age of 17 and moved to Anuradhapura to work as a teacher and begun his mission against corruption. Since then he has been instrumental in uncovering many a scandal. He also acts as Secretary to the National Teachers’ Union and People’s Action for Human Rights in Anuradhapura. Despite being subjected to political pressure in the Central Province and death threats, Dissanayake vows to keep campaigning against corruption.

OIC Pothuhera Police, Inspector Deshabandu Senaratne who has been given a special mention award has brought much credit, through his dedicated work in his area, to his department, which is now subjected to much criticism. He has taken steps to elevate the police station to a place where the public have easy access and relief. He is thus striving to assist the police in playing its role as true protectors of the people.    

While observing the Anti-corruption Day for the fifth consecutive year Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) Director J.C.Welimuna has drawn attention to the crucial time the country is passing through where powerful forces are attempting to silence the anti-corruption movement in the . It has been the realization of the importance of this work that has induced Peter Enger to leave the World Bank and initiate his campaign against corruption. He says, from bribing a school teacher to business deals in the international arena, as much as US$ 1,000 billion is lost each year through corruption. “The real damage is the perversion of economic development and that’s the reason the world is reeling in poverty,” he points out.