Framing ethical laws and fighting corruption: Lessons from Louisiana
Arush Sarwar | Saturday, 21 June 2008
Let us examine a plot of land. It is a hot and wet region, where rain is very common and natural disasters have a habit of striking at any moment. From a natural-resources perspective, this land has plenty of upward mobility. It is located on the delta of one of the largest, most-used river systems in the world. It has a unique, diverse culture comprising an array of friendly, down-to-earth people who are willing to work hard and enjoy life. Unfortunately, the land is quite undeveloped compared to nearby lands, especially when compared to an economic giant looming in the west; its economy is, in contrast, based on low-tech jobs. One of its biggest hindrances is its political system, which is steeped in corruption. Politicians routinely exploit the people and enjoy the spoils. This corruption is probably one of the largest problems holding the land back from ever reaching its goal.
But one day, the people in this democracy decide to say no, and elect a highly ambitious crusader to be the head of the government and start a new era. And thus, the state of Louisiana has a new beginning and a new chance for the future. Piyush "Bobby" Jindal, born in the United States to Indian parents, has barely started his term as newly elected Governor of Louisiana, and already, some of the best ethics laws in America belong to Louisiana. This is considerable improvement from previous times, when Louisiana was well-known for creating such unique politicians as Edwin Edwards, Huey P. Long, and William Jefferson. All of the above were famous for bending ineffective rules. But it now seems that the age of leaders leading by not following their own laws is over. Perhaps there will be less stealing and bribing. Things are looking up, and there is a fair chance that one day, Louisiana will move towards the top.
There is a nearly parallel situation that exists in the nation of Bangladesh. Just as in Louisiana, its future looks brighter today than in the recent past. Endowed with a mass of hard-working population, excellent cropland, access to the interior of India's industrial and agricultural core, and geopolitically situated between two emerging great powers China and India, Bangladesh seems to have plenty of potential. But there is widespread evidence that many politicians and civil servants of the country have stolen millions of dollars. In fact, there seems to be corruption at every level of the system, from the bottom to the top. Even the chiefs of the two heads of the major political parties, Begum Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League are being tried for corruption. As of now, they are under arrest, and a new government has been holding power since January 11, 2007. There are encouraging signs that this military-backed government is less tolerant of corruption, which is evident from the fact that thousands of politicians and public officials are now facing corruption charges. While the new government undoubtedly has its flaws, less money has apparently been misappropriated, there is more transparency, and less corruption as Bangladesh has moved from the fifth in 2006 to the eighteenth place as the most corrupt country according to the annual reports of Transparency International. Many scholars hope that Bangladesh can finally look forward and break away from the chains of corruption that have held back the nation's progress for decades. Against this backdrop, Bangladesh might do well to take a look at the state of Louisiana.
Some of the recent legal measures passed in Louisiana should be able to clear up the corruption that was once present. For example, all elected officials must now disclose their financial documents. In addition, the law now states that lawmakers, their relatives, or their businesses may not enter contracts with the state, directly or indirectly. In other words, legislators or their relatives cannot have pecuniary benefit from contracts allocated by the government. Increased transparency was another big change because now the public has more access to the records of officials. Additionally, there is in place an improved ethics education system that will make sure that politicians know the laws and ethical standards present in Louisiana law. Ethics training is now required for all public servants, and penalties are heavy for those who violate the concretely-defined Ethics Code. Other useful legislations passed include granting authority to Inspector Generals to investigate possible ethical violations and to provide additional protection for whistleblowers. And lastly, Louisiana politicians are now restricted in how they use campaign funds. The loopholes some politicians have used over the years at last seem to be closed by law.
Bangladesh needs to rewrite many of its corruption laws, and there seems to be signs of progress. The government has cracked down on many guilty people, and they hopefully will stay in jail without the hope of unethical bail or sentence reduction. In fact, Bangladesh has moved up several places from the bottom of the Transparency International Corruption Index in a fairly short period of time. But more needs to be done to better the country, because corruption has consistently been a headache for both Bangladeshis and foreign investors across the globalized world. The US Ambassador to Bangladesh, James Moriarty, said while addressing a press conference at the US Embassy on June 14, 2008, "We hope the anti-corruption drives will not to be diminished in the future since corruption always has been the biggest barrier to attracting the foreign, even the domestic, investments also."
Bangladesh is clearly not alone in its fight against corruption. Many countries have an interest in a cleaner Bangladesh. Just recently, the United States launched PROGATI, a program to stave off corruption and unfairness in government. Much of the world supports less corruption in Bangladesh, because this would be a win-win situation for both sides. Foreign investments would increase, bringing Bangladeshis more jobs.
Ending corruption is a vital step to ensure a better future for Bangladesh. Some of the steps that could be taken include the establishment of better laws to rein in corruption by politicians, increased transparency, and, most importantly, accountability. The leaders of the seventh largest country in the world must be responsible for their actions in every respect, including money. No longer can legislators simply siphon off millions of dollars for wasteful projects or line their own pockets. They must be required by law to put aside their unearned personal gains and work selflessly for their nation.
But none of these laws will be useful unless the politicians and people of Bangladesh go back to respecting the law. Corruption, in the last few years, has slowly strangled the country and has become embedded into the culture of the nation. Now, a land of one hundred sixty million people must get over this sickness if it is to ever meet its dreams and its potential.
The writer resides in the state of Louisiana in the USA. He also writes letters for Time, Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report. He can be contacted at email : asarwar2001@yahoo.com
But one day, the people in this democracy decide to say no, and elect a highly ambitious crusader to be the head of the government and start a new era. And thus, the state of Louisiana has a new beginning and a new chance for the future. Piyush "Bobby" Jindal, born in the United States to Indian parents, has barely started his term as newly elected Governor of Louisiana, and already, some of the best ethics laws in America belong to Louisiana. This is considerable improvement from previous times, when Louisiana was well-known for creating such unique politicians as Edwin Edwards, Huey P. Long, and William Jefferson. All of the above were famous for bending ineffective rules. But it now seems that the age of leaders leading by not following their own laws is over. Perhaps there will be less stealing and bribing. Things are looking up, and there is a fair chance that one day, Louisiana will move towards the top.
There is a nearly parallel situation that exists in the nation of Bangladesh. Just as in Louisiana, its future looks brighter today than in the recent past. Endowed with a mass of hard-working population, excellent cropland, access to the interior of India's industrial and agricultural core, and geopolitically situated between two emerging great powers China and India, Bangladesh seems to have plenty of potential. But there is widespread evidence that many politicians and civil servants of the country have stolen millions of dollars. In fact, there seems to be corruption at every level of the system, from the bottom to the top. Even the chiefs of the two heads of the major political parties, Begum Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League are being tried for corruption. As of now, they are under arrest, and a new government has been holding power since January 11, 2007. There are encouraging signs that this military-backed government is less tolerant of corruption, which is evident from the fact that thousands of politicians and public officials are now facing corruption charges. While the new government undoubtedly has its flaws, less money has apparently been misappropriated, there is more transparency, and less corruption as Bangladesh has moved from the fifth in 2006 to the eighteenth place as the most corrupt country according to the annual reports of Transparency International. Many scholars hope that Bangladesh can finally look forward and break away from the chains of corruption that have held back the nation's progress for decades. Against this backdrop, Bangladesh might do well to take a look at the state of Louisiana.
Some of the recent legal measures passed in Louisiana should be able to clear up the corruption that was once present. For example, all elected officials must now disclose their financial documents. In addition, the law now states that lawmakers, their relatives, or their businesses may not enter contracts with the state, directly or indirectly. In other words, legislators or their relatives cannot have pecuniary benefit from contracts allocated by the government. Increased transparency was another big change because now the public has more access to the records of officials. Additionally, there is in place an improved ethics education system that will make sure that politicians know the laws and ethical standards present in Louisiana law. Ethics training is now required for all public servants, and penalties are heavy for those who violate the concretely-defined Ethics Code. Other useful legislations passed include granting authority to Inspector Generals to investigate possible ethical violations and to provide additional protection for whistleblowers. And lastly, Louisiana politicians are now restricted in how they use campaign funds. The loopholes some politicians have used over the years at last seem to be closed by law.
Bangladesh needs to rewrite many of its corruption laws, and there seems to be signs of progress. The government has cracked down on many guilty people, and they hopefully will stay in jail without the hope of unethical bail or sentence reduction. In fact, Bangladesh has moved up several places from the bottom of the Transparency International Corruption Index in a fairly short period of time. But more needs to be done to better the country, because corruption has consistently been a headache for both Bangladeshis and foreign investors across the globalized world. The US Ambassador to Bangladesh, James Moriarty, said while addressing a press conference at the US Embassy on June 14, 2008, "We hope the anti-corruption drives will not to be diminished in the future since corruption always has been the biggest barrier to attracting the foreign, even the domestic, investments also."
Bangladesh is clearly not alone in its fight against corruption. Many countries have an interest in a cleaner Bangladesh. Just recently, the United States launched PROGATI, a program to stave off corruption and unfairness in government. Much of the world supports less corruption in Bangladesh, because this would be a win-win situation for both sides. Foreign investments would increase, bringing Bangladeshis more jobs.
Ending corruption is a vital step to ensure a better future for Bangladesh. Some of the steps that could be taken include the establishment of better laws to rein in corruption by politicians, increased transparency, and, most importantly, accountability. The leaders of the seventh largest country in the world must be responsible for their actions in every respect, including money. No longer can legislators simply siphon off millions of dollars for wasteful projects or line their own pockets. They must be required by law to put aside their unearned personal gains and work selflessly for their nation.
But none of these laws will be useful unless the politicians and people of Bangladesh go back to respecting the law. Corruption, in the last few years, has slowly strangled the country and has become embedded into the culture of the nation. Now, a land of one hundred sixty million people must get over this sickness if it is to ever meet its dreams and its potential.
The writer resides in the state of Louisiana in the USA. He also writes letters for Time, Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report. He can be contacted at email : asarwar2001@yahoo.com