Bringing the roof down

Friday, 26 May 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

In Sri Lanka a disaster is the only way to get political attention. The collapse of a building in Wellawatte that killed one person and injured over two dozen is a tragedy that could have been easily avoided had it not been for the rampant corruption within Government bodies.

A subsequent decision by the Government to demolish 10,000 structures because they have been identified as illegal by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) is merely adding insult to injury because there have been few steps by the Government to crack down on corrupt officials and end the menace of bribe taking. Local and municipal officials openly take bribes and disregard their duties in a way that is criminal. The system has become so corrupt that even honest people who want to build a home or any other construction are baffled and disgusted by the deeply corrupt system that no politician wants to root out. If they do not pay then the project is postponed indefinitely so many cave in and pay up.

Speak to any person who has gone to their local government office to get approval for a construction no matter how minor and the horror stories would fill a book. Officials are often not present and even when they deign to be in office, they are often rude and unprofessional.

Even when a person genuinely wants to work within the law they are actively discouraged and sent from pillar to post for weeks on end until they give up. The message that a bribe is essential is given at the start. So used have the public come to this that they come cash in hand or cultivate a contact who will bribe the selected officials creating less hassle. Others would not even bother to ensure that their drawings comply with the law as they know a hefty bunch of notes would smoothen over any issues.

This means there is no incentive for anyone to follow the law. In fact it is much easier to disregard it altogether. Local governments often punish homebuilders by delaying plan approvals for months on end if they do not give a high enough bribe. Once the baksheesh is received they do not even bother to visit the building site, which would explain how such a high number of buildings were built over decades with compliance from officials. As long as bribes are paid to the right people no one will take any action.

Local government and municipal authorities have become notorious for demanding bribes at several stages of the construction. Once a building is constructed the local authority has to rubber stamp it as fit for habitation but in most instances people simply move in to avoid having to pay yet another bribe. The rot goes right from the top of provincial councils to the bottom of local governments and municipalities. A pecking order is usually established and the top officials also pass on larger projects to their underlings after keeping a hefty cut for themselves.

Given this situation it is nothing short of a miracle that more buildings have not collapsed on their inhabitants. Megapolis Development Minister Champika Ranawaka has been swift to condemn and promise action on all but the officials responsible for this mess. If the law is not implemented and backhand deals not ended then another building collapse is inevitable.