Combatting Corruption: Towards a New Era of Accountability

Remarks by Ambassador Sue M. Cobb

Terra Nova Hotel

May 29, 2003 

As prepared

Bribery. Graft. Kickbacks. Ugly words, ugly deeds. They make us uncomfortable. But this is the vocabulary of corruption. And while we may think corruption might be someone else's problem, it affects us all.

The United States plans to give greater visibility to our anti-corruption efforts in this hemisphere by sending the message loud and clear: corruption does not pay.

Corruption is not always easy to spot.  It takes on many faces. A government official taking a bribe and handing out a contract in return is a fairly clear example.  So too, on a smaller scale, is a policeman taking money in exchange for letting a driver off without a ticket for a traffic violation. But what about the official who sits on a license for months because the right payment -a bribe- wasn't offered? What about slipping the customs inspector "a little extra" for clearing your undeclared goods?

Corruption is a problem throughout the hemisphere, including Jamaica and the United States. Transparency International gave Jamaica a four out of 10 on its Corruption Perception Index, which ranks countries in terms of the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians. A September 2001 Gleaner poll found that nearly 80 percent of Jamaicans feel that there is corruption in the public sector, and 68 percent feel that there is corruption among the police. Folks - If four out of five Jamaicans believe there is a problem, then certainly something must be done to address it.

Corruption, in fact, exacts the highest tolls on developing countries like Jamaica. People in such countries can least afford the burden of corruption, which erodes security and trust in one's government, justice system, and peers.

To stop corruption, or at least slow it, we must punish the corrupt.  If I can accept bribes, extort money, and grant favors with impunity, there is little incentive to stop. 

Until the cost of being corrupt outweighs the benefit, many people would simply find no reason to stop.  An important key to fighting corruption, therefore, is to identify those who are engaged in corruption and ensure that they are exposed and punished. And government policies can help in this regard.

The importance of information in fighting corruption cannot be overstated. So government policies that are transparent are much less susceptible to corruption, and public access to information can help to ensure that corruption finds no soil in which to take root. 

Jamaica has taken a major step in this regard with the recent passage of the Access to Information Act, which allows citizens to see information on how government decisions are made and will help ensure that those decisions are based on objective criteria.  But the mere passage of such an act is insufficient if the rights it grants are not used to thwart corruption.  And that is the challenge that is laid before Jamaicans - to actively monitor- to be the watchdog against corruption.  So the question is: Now that the tool has been created, will it actually be used? Will people in this room feel safe enough to stand up, speak out, and help in the process?

Identifying corruption in government is not very useful if there is no mechanism to punish the corrupt; that is where the recently established Corruption Prevention Commission is essential to the success of anti-corruption efforts here in Jamaica.  I think it is a promising and positive reflection on the Government of Jamaica that while most every sector saw across the board cuts in the recent budget release; the Corruption Prevention Commission's funding was increased more than two-fold.  Now, performance will be the measure.  As always, action speaks louder than words. 

Another key in the fight against corruption -as you know- is the private sector.  Public sector officials - by and large - aren't going around bribing each other, so it is vital that the private sector understand the costs of corruption -the economic costs as well as the personal costs- and refuse to encourage it, accept it, or wink at it.

Because corruption often transcends sectoral and national borders, the United States is working with the UN and other regional bodies, such as the Organization of American States, to attack the problem.  The United States has ratified the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption, and participates in encouraging and monitoring its implementation in the hemisphere. 

But of course the U.S. can only do so much - at some point, the fight against corruption has to come from within. 

Now you may be sitting there thinking "Well this is all well and good, but why is an American lecturing us on corruption when we only need to turn on our televisions to see scandal after scandal in America?" 

That's certainly a reasonable criticism - America has had its fair share of corrupt businesses, government leaders and dirty money. But if you observe how the United States has dealt with such scandals, you can get a sense of what a carefully constructed anticorruption framework can accomplish.

Consider the following American triumphs over corruption. Because we do not have parliamentary immunity, Ohio Congressman James Traficant was tried, convicted, and expelled from Congress. Because we have auditors that scrutinize financial statements piece by piece, Arthur Andersen executives were convicted of obstruction of justice and the officers of WorldCom were indicted for fraud.  And because we have protection for whistleblowers, a former Speaker of the State of Florida Senate was this month sent to jail - because a concerned citizen brought his illegal activities to light. 

You will undoubtedly hear from Mr. Devine about the important role that whistleblowers play in fighting corruption.  But I would like to point out that at the close of 2002, Time Magazine named three American women as "Persons of the Year" for their role as whistleblowers.

So while the U.S. certainly does not have a perfect system, we have been successful in making anticorruption mechanisms available.  The result has been a society where corruption may occur, but it is not the norm. An informed society is intolerant of corrupt officials.

I'll be the first to admit that old habits die hard, but they do die. Maybe it's just impressing on a youngster that it's better to pay the ticket than pay the cop. Or it's being sure that your employees declare everything in your company's container at customs. Maybe it's lodging a complaint with the Corruption Prevention Commission. Or voting against politicians who you believe are unacceptably taking money. Maybe it's refusing to buy from companies that you suspect are engaging in corrupt practices.  If you are a media manager, maybe it is agreeing to risk controversy - and possible lawsuits - by publishing well researched, verifiable, investigative reports on corruption.

It is through the accumulation of these daily decisions not to support corruption that society will be changed and corruption rooted out.  Each day that we fail to act against corruption, we are paying a social and economic price.

We must work together on this issue that has constrained growth in this hemisphere for decades. We wish to support your efforts in this regard and to support the efforts currently being made by the leaders of the government who recognize that this fight is clearly in the best interest of the future of this country. I am pleased to be here to join with you in the effort to eliminate this corrosive blight that so erodes this beautiful country's social and economic stability and prosperity. 

Let us move together towards a new era of accountability. 

THANK YOU.