An answer to corruption — conclusion

“God will not do for us what we will not do for ourselves”

I have reviewed the past and the present... I have said that if we want to prevent corruption in the future, we must adopt new strategies now. I have spelt out that the new strategy must include a total transparency in governmental actions and the visibility of our leaders in monetary matters; and I have outlined a legal framework within which this can be done. A friend phoned me a few days ago — “Interesting articles,” he said. “And transparency and visibility. Great ideas! But do you think that any government will pay any attention to what you have said? Do you really think that the ‘big boys’ will pass laws that will prevent them from filling their pockets?” And then he went on to tell me at great length that for all the sense my articles make, I was “spinning top in mud” and that governments would continue to look you in the eye and tell you that they are the purest even while their hands are in your pocket.

I was not surprised. I expected that this would be the reaction of a lot of people. You see, we are fed up with the corruption of one government after another. We feel betrayed by this new PNM which promised clean and honest government but which lost no time at all in continuing the ways of the old PNM. Like a leopard, it seems unable to change its spots. But with all of that, we continue to complain... and do nothing. We have become a “talk but do nothing people,” a “don’t rock the boat” people; and therein lies our weakness... and governments’ strength. It has beaten us in one way or the other into being cowards and knows that it can get away with anything it does. It has lost all respect for us and treats us with contempt.
All thought is creative and society is the product of our thoughts and ideas about it. If you think you cannot change things then, things will not change. If you keep doing what you have always been doing then, you will always get what you have always got. It is as simple as that.
Whether we realise it or not, things are always changing... for better or worse. Life is change. Nothing remains static, nothing stays the same. But, how a thing changes depends on you. You will say, “What can I do? How can ‘little me’ do anything to stop corruption?” You, my friend, whoever you are, whatever kind of job you hold, “a peewat” or a “big shot,” can do quite a lot.

You are a spark of energy in a field of energy and whatever you think, say and do influences the field in which we all live. You want to change society? Begin to change yourself. Begin to change your thinking about it. Begin to think that this is your country and your home... and the home of your children and grandchildren, that you have a right to live your life in peace and security and that there is enough for all. Begin to see that differences of race and religion are not divisions and that at a fundamental level, we are really One, different expressions of the one Spirit. Begin to see that Government divides us so that it can rule us. Begin to see that we have been brainwashed abut the role of Government, that Government’s business is our business, that Government’s money is our money. Begin to see that Government is not the “boss” but our servants and as such, accountable to us... “Government is too big and important to be left to politicians” (Chester Bowles). Begin to see that we must concern ourselves about politics and change our thinking, speaking and doing about it. Begin to speak about political issues which trouble you if only to your friends. Speak to your Member of Parliament. Better still, write him a letter or write a letter to the Press. The written word has great force in it. Government will do anything to stay in power. Make it clear that you will not vote for them if they don’t shape up. Do these things (which anyone can do) and you will see a miracle happening.

But there is something bigger and grander in all of this, a divine plan which is being worked out. Life is an individual thing with every soul walking its own path. The physical world is the contextual field in which each soul is evolving. Every thought, everything we do, defines who and what we are. The public officer who takes a bribe is a thief. The politician who favours his family or friend for a job is a nepotist. The politician or “back-room boy” who plans voter-padding and house-padding is a knave. The public officer who is motivated by race in his decisions is a racist, and so on. And the citizen who joins in corruption is likewise a thief; while he who sees corruption taking place and does nothing, is a condoner of corruption. What is happening brings the opportunity for each of us to decide who he is and who he chooses to be. And since life is a matter of individual evolution, there can be no escaping it for anyone of us. The circumstances will keep coming around again and again until we choose.

Let me just repeat. Conditions which need to be changed will not be changed by complaining but by action. And let’s not wait on God to take action because as I made plain in the lead quote, God will not do for us what we will not do for ourselves. Left to itself, Government will do nothing to stop the rot because they are the rot... and they love it so. That leaves it up to each one of us to do what we should and can do. One last thing in dealing with corruption. There was once a word called “accountability” in the Colonial Civil Service. It was something which all public servants, from the lowest to the highest, knew about because ignoring it brought serious consequences. That word disappeared with Independence and with its disappearance, both the “civil” and the “service” faded away and opened the doorway to all kinds of corruption.

We have to reintroduce the concept of “accountability” in the Public Service. That means that public officers must be held responsible for their laziness, their arrogance, their negligence and their misdeeds. No one is held responsible for anything today. The public servant who comes in late for work and who takes two hours for lunch, who reads the newspapers or stands around talking with co-workers about last night’s fete while you stand at the counter waiting, and waiting to be attended to, who leaves for tomorrow what can be done today, should be disciplined. The public servant who shows discrimination of any kind on his job, should be fired. Just imagine! There have been several cases lately in which the Courts have found discrimination in the appointment and promotion of officers and we have not heard one word of comment from the responsible authorities. Some people should have got their “marching orders.” There have been several cases lately in which statutory boards have not sent in their annual financial reports for years and the Government does nothing. These boards should have been dismissed. The list is endless. But “accountability” is not in the Government’s books. Wherever we look in the Public Service, we see a shocking lack of accountability.

There now abides in Government today, no transparency, no visibility and no accountability, these three which are the sure signs of democracy. And our government keeps telling us that we are a democracy. What a laugh! A new politics is a politics of transparency, visibility and accountability and will enact these core principles into law. In the meantime, you can demand that both the PNM and the UNC do it now... or face the consequences. Do not sell yourself short. You can make it happen.