Editorial
Drive against institutional corruption
ACC needs more resources
Avery welcome step brought about by the new dispensation as a result of the change of 11 Jan 2007 was the reorganisation of the anti-corruption commission.
Since then the ACC has taken some forthright steps to address the issue of corruption, although its focus has been primarily on individuals, in high places in particular, and not so much on corruption in the institutions and establishment of the government.
A noticeable feature of its operation has been the ACC's effort to not only detect cases of corruption and prepare those for prosecution it has taken upon itself the task of playing a leading role in combatting corruption. It must be made clear that combating corruption involves much more than only detection and prosecution of graft cases. Bringing to book the corrupt and ridding the society of corruption are two aspects of the issue that the state should deal with. But we feel that the former ought to take precedence over everything else that the ACC thinks it ought to do in this regard.
And while it is going about detection of corruption cases it must concentrate as much on institutions as individuals, which have been plagued to such an extent that it smeared the image of the country. But from reports appearing in The Daily Star, this aspect has not been addressed with the vigour that it deserves, not because of lack of intent but more because of certain limitations the commission has to face.
No wonder that the commission is going slow in investigating cases of corruption in government institutions. That is why we maintain that not only must the anti-graft body be fully reorganised, it must also be so empowered that would invest it with the capability to put focus on all sectors of the society and the government, without having to depend on others. We feel that it should be provided with the full complement of manpower and other resources, and the human resource level be improved through crash course training programmes.
Without appropriate reform where it would not have to depend on any ministry for its operation, ACC may be hard put to fully succeed in its objectives.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments