Laws alone can’t stop corruption

A BRITISH anti-corruption expert has advised Government that tougher laws alone will not assist in eradicating corruption in Trinidad and Tobago. Addressing a news conference at Cabildo Chambers last week, Bertrand De Speville said: “You can’t beat corruption by just enforcing criminal laws.” He explained that while this was essential, it was equally important to examine the systems in which people operate daily and eliminate any opportunities for corruption and properly educate the public on the entire issue of corruption. De Speville is the principal of independent anti-corruption consultants, De Speville and Associates, and the former head of the Independent Commission Against Corruption in Hong Kong. A release from the Ministry of the Attorney General said that the Ministry, with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has retained De Speville “to assist in the development of an anti-corruption strategy for the Government of TT in keeping with Cabinet’s decision of August 18, 2003 to upgrade existing integrity legislation and enforcement mechanisms.” His mandate includes conducting a consultation exercise with business and other civic organisations “to elicit opinion leaders’ views on corruption and the development of the new anti-corruption strategy.” The British consultant said his mandate was not “to look into particular areas of corruption.”