Say no to “bribery and corruption” over breakfast!

Wednesday, 2 December 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

From trishaw to ship bribery corruption in Sri Lanka has taken root which no doubt costs our economy dearly. A decade back former President Chandrika Kumaratunge said that 40% of GDP is distorted due to bribery and corruption.

The current government has come on a mandate of good governance. The concept of good governance should not only be restricted to public sector but it is the responsibility of the private sector too.

Bribery and corruption affects government, industry and the people of a nation. It impacts the citizens’ rights and a nation’s development and the future generation. Sri Lanka needs to move forward fast for development as it has lost opportunities for decades due to many reasons.

The Government has now strengthened the institutions to tackle the problem of bribery and corruption. The Director General of Prevention of Bribery and Corruption Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe will address a breakfast forum on Monday 7 December from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Galadari Hotel, to have a dialogue with enthusiastic corporate leaders to build awareness and to join hands to give a beginning to an effort to eradicate the problem. The department of Prevention of Bribery and Corruption has already taken many steps in the right direction and the media has highlighted several arrests during the last few weeks.

The problem is prevalent and critical in the sectors such as customs, ports, revenue authorities, police and the local government authorities etc. There are many officers in these institutions who would like to eradicate this problem within but it seems a tough challenge for them as well.

Bribery corruption directly affects manufacturers and shippers too. The Shippers’ Academy Colombo also has invited Chairman Sri Lanka Shippers’ Council to address the audience along with the Director General.

Interested parties for this breakfast forum can contact the Shippers’ Academy Colombo on 0773820703 or [email protected] or log on to www.shippersacademy.lk.