One of those Unforgetables

Whatasong!

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Anti-Corruption Day

On 31 October 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption. The Assembly also designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it.  The Convention entered into force in December 2005.

"I call on business leaders worldwide to denounce corruption and to back their words with strict prohibitions against it. They should adopt anti-corruption policies in line with the United Nations Convention and put in place the necessary checks to strengthen integrity and transparency. I also urge corporations to work more closely with the United Nations on this issue." - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Let’s have a look at what people say. Not surprisingly many have little trust in the institutions that are supposed to help and protect them. TI’s Global Corruption Barometer, released today is a public opinion survey that covers people’s experiences and perceptions of corruption in their country. The results show us that people do not trust their governments to fight corruption. It also shows that poor people are more frequently penalised by corruption, especially when they try to get basic services such as water or electricity, or when trying to get access to healthcare or the education system.

One out of four people worldwide said they paid a bribe in the past 12 months for one of nine public services.

The good news, and I think this is really very good news, is that people are willing to engage in the fight against corruption. More than two thirds of those surveyed believe that people can make a difference. And about half of all people that were asked could imagine themselves becoming involved in the fight against corruption. So Anti-corruption Day provides a great opportunity for people to raise their voice against corruption. You are not alone. There are people around us that are eager to stand up and demand a life without corruption, a better life.

Thought : 

If we in India, leave our politicians and bureaucrats out of this equation, we could have been very favourably placed in the chart above.  Unfortunately we can't do much about it now, but come election time, we need to seriously ponder on this burning issue and make few course corrections, necessarily. Do what we must, in whatsoever or whichever way we can, each one of us has a responsibility to get us out of this shamefully uncomfortable situation. I hope, we all agree on that? As it is, I am not liking the company we are keeping!

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Geo Humour

A Mexican, a Kiwi and a Nigerian walk into a bar… | World news | The Guardian

The best way to understand another country is to get to grips with its sense of humour, says Joris Luyendijk. Our foreign correspondents let us in on local gags

This is hilarious, click here or the link below to read on :

A Mexican, a Kiwi and a Nigerian walk into a bar… | World news | The Guardian

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Fixing the fixers

Pritish Nandy : TOI Blogs

So it may be a good idea if instead of throwing stones from a glass house, we all got together to clean up the house. This must begin with dismantling the corrupt system and exemplarily punishing the guilty, not just booting them out. You and I must also stop subscribing to the belief that corruption in India is a given and can’t be fought. In Japan, prime ministers have gone to jail. In China, top Government officers have been executed. So instead of cynically talking about moral codes for lobbyists, let’s repair and restore our institutions in a manner such that we can combat corruption. But first let’s start by believing it’s possible.

Read Pritish Nandy's blog by clicking the link below :

Fixing the fixers : India : Pritish Nandy : TOI Blogs

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India

Very good information from the US State Department website.

India

Indian Wikileaks I’d like to see

Netaji to 2G

by: Anshul Chaturvedi

Wiki-people : you amaze us by pulling off stuff that your government isn’t too keen to let us, or anyone else, see. Our governments over the years have been much, much smarter at not letting us as much as get a whiff of things they’d rather lock up in that smart safe. So smart, in fact, that we sooner or later forget what we were fighting to get info about in the first place.

I have a short wishlist of stuff I would like you to find us answers for – stuff I don’t think we’ll ever get to know about any other way. Here it goes :

Netaji to 2G: Indian Wikileaks I’d like to see : India : Anshul Chaturvedi : TOI Blogs
 (Click link above to read rest of the blog)

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