National Action Plan for Combating Bribery and Corruption debuts today

A National Action Plan for Combating Bribery and Corruption will be launched today by President Maithripala Sirisena.

The plan, which got Cabinet approval on 5 February, is premised on four strategies for combating bribery and corruption in Sri Lanka. They are namely Prevention Measures, Value-based Education and Community Engagement, Institutional Strengthening of CIABOC and other Law Enforcement Agencies, and Law and Policy Reforms. 

Additionally, four handbooks will be released today alongside the action plan, exploring decisive factors which would shape the course of combating bribery and corruption in the nation. 

The handbooks are: Draft Proposal on Gift Rules; Draft Proposal on Conflict of Interest Rules; Integrity Handbook for State Officials and Law Amendment Proposal for Areas of Bribery, Asset Declaration, Commission Act, Election Campaign Finance and Whistle-blower Provision.

Government sources said the action plan and the handbooks have been translated to Tamil and Sinhalese.

“The true ownership of these publications rest with the individuals representing a cross-section of the society who contributed to this intellectual discourse for a period of one year. We aim at creating a new generation instilled with values and virtues, a public sector as well as a private sector of integrity, and a law enforcement system which is just and equal to all. Through the collective effort in dispensing their respective responsibilities, we aim at combating bribery and corruption within the course of the next five years,” sources added.

Government sources said eradication of bribery and corruption from a country requires a vision. That vision must be displayed to the entirety of the nation in the form of a plan. This would ensure the support of the public in combating bribery and corruption. The Government, which came into effect in the year 2015, realised this in October 2017. 

It entrusted the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) with the task of formulating a National Action Plan.

CIABOC, along with the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Public Administration, brought together all relevant stakeholder institutions to gather and collate the opinions/suggestions of the public. 

Sources said 50 consultations have been carried out throughout Sri Lanka, which concluded with four such meetings being held at the Parliament. Public representatives were given an opportunity to share their ideas. Furthermore, this endeavour included the input of various sectors, including State officials, professionals, civil societies, and artistes. The collation of all these suggestions and recommendations have contributed to the formulation of the National Action Plan for Combating Bribery and Corruption.