Corruption has grown to an endemic level in the country and the delay in tabling and passing the anti-corruption bill is a manifestation of the pervasiveness of this scourge, an activist says.
Lawrence Makili is a member of the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Civil Society Organisations that is on an intensive campaign for the tabling of the newer version of the anti-corruption bill in Parliament at its present sitting.
Speaking at a forum on the anti-corruption bill at the National Museum auditorium in Honiara yesterday, Makili said corruption in the country has reached an endemic level.
“Why did we see the deferral of the bill in 2016 and withdrawal in 2017?” he asked.
“Why did we see a delay in the submission of the newer version of the bill to parliament and why was parliament adjourned? It is because of corruption,” Makili said.
He said it is the people that bear the brunt of corruption and therefore it is crucial that the anti-corruption bill is taken to parliament, tabled, passed and enacted.
Makili said the reason why corruption is pervasive in the country is that the legal institutions are weak and they are weak because the people themselves are weak.
“We the people are weak. We must not blame the legal institutions.
“These institutions are made by us and they are weak and we tolerate that then we ourselves are weak and should blame ourselves.
“Whilst a few people are enjoying themselves through the benefits from their corrupt acts, we the majority of the people struggle to put food on our tables.”
Makili also emphasised the importance of public forums saying it allows people to discuss issues affecting them which Members of Parliament are supposed to discuss but are engrossed in pursuing issues of their personal interests.
He said looking at the logging and mining industries in the country, they are destroying the country with their uncontrolled logging and mining practices and it is the people that will bear the brunt of the environmental destructions.
“Take a look at the mining operation on Rennell Island.
“Look at the pictures of the environmental destructions it is causing, is there a future for the indigenous people with all the environmental destruction going on there now? No.
“Take a look at the logging industry.
“Solomon Islands is over-logged.
“This sad state of affair results from the sad fact that few people control the governing mechanisms in place to suit their own interests.”
By DELI OSO
