Is transparent daylight bribery part of good governance?

It was around 8 a.m. a few days ago when I got stuck in the traffic on Galle Road, I saw a garbage cart (with quite lot of bags with trash surrounding it) parked in front of a lane – there wasn’t a name board for this lane – right next to the Kollupitiya Police Station with two garbage collectors emptying these bags onto this cart. 

I saw three ladies, taking turns, handing over their plastic shopping bags with the garbage and all three of them giving money to the garbage collectors within the precincts of the Kollupitiya Police Station and would you believe me that there was also a long arm of the law walking past this spot at the same time? 

My office colleagues tell me that that the collectors of garbage for money do take garbage even if biodegradable and non-biodegradable stuff are not even segregated, which they are not supposed to takeover. Therefore, please pay these garbage collectors a substantial salary so that they do not become dependent on bribes.

There is an admonition of Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) that not only the bribe taker but also the bribe giver is equally liable for the sin and both are doomed to hell. Over to the Mayoress to put an end to this “garbage” bribery! 

In my opinion, Your Worship Rosy Senanayake, has still not solved the garbage problem which she promised to solve on assuming the mayoral office. By the way, is there still a garbage mafia which the previous Government was accused of? 

Mohamed Zahran

Colombo 3