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Topic Discussion IV
Achieving Good Governance
Controlling Corruption, Improving
Administration
and Strengthening the Rule of Law
Room 1
(20 of 22 pages)
I think that this is one aspect corruption similar to the financial and administrative
corruption, because if there is a good judicial system and independent courts, for example, and civil society organizations
that are effective, all this will be reflected on corruption and it will minimize corruption.
I think that emerging democracies do have a very good intention, but there is no suitable tools and ways in order
to apply the theoretical say, for example. So this is one of the most harmful aspects of corruption and it will
create a reaction with the people and it would dedicate this schizophrenic relation between the slogans and real
life situations. Thank you.
Speaker: Well, corruption and good governance is always together, it goes together. Good governance and
corruption. And as you said, the corruption has no national -- international boundaries and so I agree with all
the speakers, whatever they have said about good governance and corruption.
I only want to tell a small story and very brief, it will only take one minute I will speak, because I will be
just repeating the same thing. Well, two and a half centuries back in my country, there was a king, a very righteous
king, he was really above corruption and so and so. So one day he thought to take some money out of the treasury
and replenish his palace, without knowing to the other courtiers. So what happened, to go to his conference hall,
he has to cross a pool and he could cross the pool stepping or treading on the lotus leaves. So he was so much
righteous, some would say above corruption, lotus were leaves. So when he took the money out of the treasury and
replenished his palace and he thought that, I am taking this money not only for myself, the other king will come
and enjoy the thing, enjoy the new palace, so and so. And after this, what happened, he went to the conference
hall and while he treaded, he was unaware and he stand in the pond. So I think there should be a detecting machine
like this. So you will know, he or she will know, you know. I think that will be better.
And there are Ministers and Prime Ministers who will be pacing about anti-corruption, so we'll do away with corruption
and all these things and he himself will be engaged in corruption. That is happening.
What happened four or five years back in my country, one of the Ministers, she stood on the rostrum and while she
was giving the -- saying some of her -- saying her Ministry's information, she said, well, my Ministry is very
much suffering from corruption. Right away the Prime Minister asked for her resignation and she was done away with,
you know. This is the way of life. The corruption has become the way of life.
So I have it with the presidential candidate that [inaudible] just we say the charity begins from home or the discipline
should start from above, not from below. Because the small corruption, small briberies is always open, you know,
it is seen. And the big corruption, big briberies is always covered, but it is done, it is by the big personalities,
big persons. So I think in my opinion, because I have also been in, as I say, in the government twice as a Minister,
so I think that it is the job of the Prime Minister to call the Minister time and again, and to say -- have a sort
of -- you need to keep the government clean, you know, to keep the government clean and say -- think about the
[inaudible], not to be [inaudible] or not to be indulged in corruption.
I want to tell you one of my story, again, just one, just one, what happened, when I was a Minister, an Industrial
Commerce Minister, in one of the festival days, what happens in our country, some gifts are sent to the Ministers,
you know. As I was the Industrial Commerce Minister, some gifts came in my house and I said, why, come on return
it, I don't want it, I don't want it. And there was say, different goods. I said it was -- I returned it. And the
Industry Ministry, they say, well, she will be very tough for us, she will not be easy for us to deal. So this
is the way how corruption is in our society.
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