Transparency International organises a competition during which those who have shown integrity and honesty at their work place will be picked so that the public can pick a winner via an SMS voting system
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| Former Chairperson of TISL Mr. M.D.A. Harold officially launches the website for Integrity Idol 2018 |
- The TISL is calling for nominations for Integrity Idol 2018 through a nationwide campaign
- This is about recognizing those who work with our community at different levels, assisting citizens
- Public nominations which were officially launched on June 12 will continue to remain open until July 31 this year
Integrity and honesty are key elements that work hand in hand in delivering a quality service in any respective, working atmosphere. In an endeavour to recognize and appreciate the integrity and honesty in the public sector, Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) officially launched the Integrity Idol 2018 on June 12 (Tuesday) at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.
The event aims at naming and faming public officers who are committed to their work with a keen sense of integrity and honesty. Accordingly, the TISL is calling for nominations for Integrity Idol 2018 through a nationwide campaign
spearheaded with the assistance of the media where citizens are invited to nominate public officials who maintain the features of integrity and honesty both in their personal and professional conduct.
In its press statement, the TISL said that a concept initiated by Accountability Lab, an organisation which aims at producing a society of active citizens and responsible leaders around the world by empowering change-makers, the Integrity Idol campaign has already been successfully carried out in Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa and Nigeria amongst other countries. Hence, Integrity Idol aims to champion integrity by ‘naming and faming’ bureaucrats as positive role models. In doing so it hopes to inspire the next generation of responsible leaders.
Expressing his views at the event TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeysekere said that Integrity Idol 2018 is a unique award for Sri Lanka to recognize the integrity of public service. “The key concept here is to name and fame public officers. We want to recognize those public officers who have shown integrity and honesty in sometimes very challenging and difficult conditions. This isn’t about recognizing those who are just doing their normal jobs, but about recognizing those who have gone beyond their call of duty in displaying integrity and honesty in their work. This is about recognizing those who work with our community at different levels, assisting citizens in their day-to-day needs. Integrity in that sense can mean many different things to many different people and that is an excellent feature of this award. People may see the integrity of a teacher in a school, amongst a customs officer and so on” Obeyesekere added.
Expressing his views TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeysekere said that Integrity Idol 2018 is a unique award for Sri Lanka to recognize the integrity of public service
How to send nominations
Nominations are encouraged by those who have shown features and characteristics of integrity in their day-to-day lives. Public nominations which were officially launched on June 12 will continue to remain open until July 31 this year. Nominations can be applied for by calling the Integrity Idol Team on 0711295295 / 0761173344 and requesting for a nomination pack to be sent by post. Also, a request could be made to send the nomination pack in one’s preferred choice of language in either Sinhala, Tamil or English. Alternatively, individuals can also log on to www.integrityidol.lk and download the nomination form from the website, which also contains all details regarding the addresses to whom the complete nominations should be sent to. Nomination forms can also be collected from the TISL Head Office at 5/1 Elibank Road, Colombo 05 and the TISL Advocacy & Legal Aid Centres located in Matara and Vavuniya.
An eminent panel of five comprising retired Justice of the Supreme Court and former Chairman of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, Justice Amir Ismail, retired Deputy Auditor General and winner and first recipient of TISL’s National Integrity Award Lalith Ambanwala, retired Deputy Auditor General and former Chairperson of TISL M.D.A. Harold, award winning investigative journalist Thusitha Pitigala and social activist, Attorney at Law and Executive Director of Viluthu Maithreyi Rajasingam will be responsible for shortlisting five finalists for Integrity Idol 2018 once the nomination procedure closes on July 31. The panel will be supported by a group of volunteers who would verify and shortlist five final Integrity Idols for Sri Lanka.
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| Former Chairperson of TISL Mr. M.D.A. Harold |
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| TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeysekere |
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Bibliographical videos
“After the five finalists are selected, bibliographical videos will be made about the lives and careers of those five individuals, the challenges they have had to face in their work environments and how they overcame those challenges. These details will be broadcast by our media partner News First and also across social media channels amongst other platforms. The key element of Integrity Idol 2018 is that there will be a winner among the final five who will be selected through a public vote through a sms voting system. This is a measure taken to ensure that there is public engagement and public participation in the selection of the final winner. In that sense, there is a public mandate involved as well” Obeyesekere said.
While the final award ceremony is scheduled to be held in October this year, Obeyesekere went onto highlight that very often people hear negative news about the public service, which is sometimes warranted and at times unwarranted. “The one fact that we all can agree upon is that there are also many positive examples of people working in the public service that is often unrecognised. The Integrity Idol 2018 gives an opportunity to say that we need to give credit where it is due and we need to make examples of those who do their jobs with integrity and honesty; so that they will also be an example for not only the current generation, but also to the future generations. So once again, I will encourage you to nominate individuals for the Integrity Idol 2018. We look forward to working closely with members of the media and members of the public in the coming few months” he added.
While the final award ceremony is scheduled to be held in October this year, Obeyesekere went onto highlight that very often people hear negative news about the public service, which is sometimes warranted and at times unwarranted
Addressing the media, retired Deputy Auditor General and former Chairperson of TISL M.D. A. Harold appreciated the efforts of the TISL in its venture to appreciate the integrity displayed in the public sector. “The Public sector must have a high level of integrity. This is what is expected of by the people of the country. Also, the public should understand and appreciate public service while public servants should in return maintain a high level of integrity in serving the public. Public officials are entrusted with a major responsibility and are accountable to the public in its use of public resources in an efficient, economical and effective manner to serve the people of the country. In this context, I view this as a good arrangement and good effort to appreciate the integrity of the public sector. Appreciation is very important since appreciation is what is lacking today. We must learn to appreciate the good work and efforts undertaken by anyone” he concluded.
Pics by Damith Wickramasinghe
