Let us Fight the Culture of Corruption – Part II

Last week we started discussing the culture of corruption. We noted that corruption has become so entrenched in our culture that many people see some corrupt behaviours as normal behaviour. We further noted that a government that truly wants its nation to thrive, will do all it can to abate and reverse the culture of corruption, but unfortunately, in our country, we have had a political regime governing over the last 20 years that have exploited the bad culture in order to allow themselves to be corrupt with impunity. For better understanding, we began to explore the types of behaviours that are typically corrupt and, in that regard, we spoke about the abuse of privileged positions, and political and government thieves.

I remember having a conversation with a government employee a little while back and realized that he was supportive of the ruling regime but that he was cautious in his arguments and at that time I did not understand why, since I thought he was a sound and upright person. At the time I should have figured it out since I have always maintained that no sound person supports this regime except if the person is corrupt, or if he or she is benefiting or have benefited from the corruption of the regime or if that person is deceived or bewitched.

But I did not make that connection then in relation to that person since by nature I give people the benefit of the doubt, or maybe I just simply put it down to that the guy was deceived! But it all became clear to me when I was casually chatting with a group and one of the persons in the group indicated that this government employee was a core part of the corruption ploy of the governing regime, extracting bribes from contractors. I was shocked because I thought this guy was an upright person based on his public persona, but I guess I did not really know the guy! On reflection, I realize that he was cautious in his arguments with me because he knew how much I abhor corruption and he wanted to give me the impression that he was an upright person.

But he knew in himself that he was a corrupt guy, pretending to be righteous! How many of those do we have in our land? Those who scheme with ruling politicians and those engaged in bribery on their own, but yet may go to church regularly? I appeal to all of us citizens of Dominica to turn from our wicked ways and God will heal our land.

In our country, it seems like a flourishing crime syndicate culture has taken root for some time now. Under this culture, crime bosses emerge and sometimes they are political deviants. But they buy a critical mass or a strategic group of persons in the police force, and in the judiciary so that justice is perverted! When crimes are committed by these deviants, the crimes are often not investigated by the police, the investigation is deliberately compromised, evidence is destroyed, or witnesses are intimidated.

For these deviants, corruption is their key business! The real business for them is not building the roads or the airports, rather it is the illicit cut they get from it! When apartments are built, it is not because they care about the people, it is because they are after their cut and it is done as a bribe in an attempt to protect their organization. By the way, I am not writing these things to irritate these deviant people. Rather, I want those who are deceived to open their eyes and reject these political deviants and I wish that these deviants would turn away from hurting our country.

These deviants seem to break the law with impunity because they have perverted the administration of justice. How many kidnappings have there been? How many murders? How much illegal drugs have been transhipped through our country? How many women have been abused? How much has been stolen from the public purse? We may never know the answers to some of these questions, but those who have an idea of it, understand that this is no laughing matter!

Our country has become a vile one and we have gotten there because we are led by a wicked and diabolical regime! Rather than work to increase righteousness in the land, they have exploited and greatly expanded bad cultures.

But we have hope! We can restore the essence of the nation. Let us start that journey by returning to the place where we are a nation that is full of Godly reverent fear. Let us confront their occult with prayer; let us make extraordinary efforts to bring real hope to the people and let us not be fearful of evildoers.

Kent Vital Economist