FOOD FOR THOUGHT

by: Chita Heap

Age of Transparency

A dam can only hold back water for so long. A prolonged downpour often causes river levels to rise, and if the level rises too quickly or too far then it creates the likelihood that the dam will give way to the increasing pressure upon the dam.

We have recently entered an age of mass communication with the internet having a major part to play. No longer is information available only to the chosen few, for it has now been made available to anyone who cares to ‘log on’ and scan the web. This has not only created new possibilities, but it has also created new threats, not only to individuals but to governments too.
The internet has not only been used by hackers to access the bank accounts and personal details of other users in order to perpetrate theft and identity fraud, but it has also been used to embarrass governments by exposing their dealings to public scrutiny. Such was the case with the recent Wickileaks revelations.

The current turmoil in North Africa and the Middle East is a prime example. It all began with a young man in Tunisia who set himself on fire in protest against corruption, an oppressive regime, and rising food prices. News of the incident spread through the country largely due to a widespread access to the internet, and soon others too began to speak out in protest. Under this sustained pressure the government was unable to endure and was forced to step down.

Very quickly the unrest spread to Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain and Syria, with further demonstrations being held in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran, together with a number of African countries. Some governments gave way, whilst others like Libya, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain adopted a more ruthless policy of suppression, and used the army and secret police to murder their own citizens. Some observers in the West have cynically referred to this turmoil as ‘The Arab Spring’.

In response to increasing criticism on various social networking sites, the Chinese government has taken the unprecedented step of limiting access to various web sites and of closing down others. This gives some indication of the concern that the Chinese government currently feels, and its fear that it too will ultimately be held accountable by the Chinese people. Three terrorist bombings were recently reported in one city in the East of China, and this incident could well be a prelude for what is to come.

In Russia too there is growing unrest, and protestors have again been ruthlessly suppressed in the state of Georgia. In the meanwhile the internet is increasingly being used to give voice to the growing discontent that exists within Russian society today.

Western governments should also heed the warning signs because this same availability to information is likely to have a profound effect on their countries too. The Wickileaks web site has already had a major impact on the US by publishing documents pertaining to their military involvement in Afghanistan, and highlighting cases of torture in prison camps such as Abu Grade and Guantanamo Bay, where innocent people have been detained without trial or representation.

Wickileaks has stated that its next revelation will pertain to one of America’s largest banks and will detail information about the part that it had to play in the recent sub-prime mortgage scandal which sent financial shock waves around the world. The impact of such a revelation upon the US dollar and upon the US economy as a whole could prove to be dramatic. America has already the largest national debt in history, a debt which it will most probably be unable to repay and upon which it will quite possibly default.
With the advent of the internet goverments around the world are coming under intense scrutiny, and cases of corruption and immoral practice are increasingly being exposed. This trend looks set to continue.

The same holds true for the Philippines where rampant corruption has long been a scourge of our society. Here in Kalibo many individuals have expressed to me their concern that not only has corruption in our town become rampant, but also that there seems to be little political will to address this issue.

With Governor Carlito Marquez now in his third term in office, some are questioning why he has not done more to tackle corruption, and why there have been so few prosecutions. Surely as governor he must be aware that corruption is rife and that this is the biggest problem facing our community today. Surely as governor he must be aware of those who are abusing the system, and who are stealing public funds in order to line their own pockets. So why does he not act?

Is it because this would run counter to his own interests? Is it because too many of his friends and associates might come under scrutiny and face prosecution as a consequence. Or is it simply that he does not have the balls to act decisively on behalf of his own people? These are all the questions that have been put to me by others, and as such they give some indication of the speculation currently surrounding this issue.

One thing is clear and that is that non action is no longer an option. With the governor’s reputation now hanging in the balance he needs to act and he needs to act quickly if he is to stem further criticism. He needs to take a stand against corruption and demonstrate his commitment to our people, not only by denouncing those who are guilty of corrupt practice, but also by taking decisive action in bringing to justice all those who are currently abusing, and all those who have in the past abused the system. Failure to do so will at the very least brand him as a lame dog.

Regardless of his apparent lack of concern, the tide is turning, since the internet now provides a means by which we can finally tackle corruption ourselves. The proposal to establish an anti- corruption web site is gaining increasing support from those eager to get our society back on track, and this proposal is now being widely discussed.

With the establishment of such a web site, ordinary citizens could anonymously supply information regarding those involved in corrupt practice, and could give details of their activities without fear of intimidation or reprisal. Such claims could then be investigated by an appropriate body in order to verify that the information given was accurate and correct, following which appropriate action could be taken to bring the perpetrators to justice.

An initiative such as this is long overdue, and I for one am looking forward to the successful implementation of this scheme. Our country will not progress if we allow corruption to endure, and in this new Age of Transparency there is at last a glimmer of hope./TE