Transparency important for preventing graft

Transparency important for preventing graft

Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Transparency remained the focus of a two-day international
meeting on the prevention of tsunami relief funds falling victim
to corruption. The meeting, which was concluded on Friday,
demanded that all stakeholders ensure accountability in the
programming and disbursement of the aid money.

The governments of recipient countries, in particular, needed
to ensure that their procurement systems met international
accountability standards so that they could serve the best
interests of the affected people.

"Relief operations and reconstruction projects must contribute
to the strengthening of local institutions, the transfer of
technical skills, and promote policies aimed at preventing
corruption," Asian Development Bank (ADB) governance and regional
cooperation division director, Jak Jabes, told a press briefing
on the meeting's recommendations.

The ADB, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD), Transparency International (TI) and the government
jointly host the event.

Representatives and experts from five other tsunami affected
countries -- India, the Maldives, Somalia, Sri Lanka and Thailand
-- were also present.

Giant tidal waves generated by a 9-on-the-Richter-scale
earthquake on Dec. 26 killed at least 174,000 people around
Indian Ocean-rim coasts, with Indonesia bearing the brunt of the
disaster.

Some US$6 billion has been pledged worldwide by donors for the
relief effort and reconstruction projects in the devastated
areas.

Donor countries and agencies should also coordinate with the
recipient countries and among themselves to avoid duplication of
assistance schemes, as well as make careful assessments of local
conditions so that allocated resources matched needs.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had an important role to
play in monitoring the relief and reconstruction processes --
reporting any suspicions of corruption to the authorities -- and
ensuring the maximum involvement of the affected people.

Concerning the procurement system, TI regional director for
Asia and the Pacific, Peter Rooke, said the organization had
developed an "Integrity Pact" for procurement tenders, in which
bidders would be scrutinized for graft. Any violating bidder
would then be blacklisted from participating in future tenders.

"I'm happy to hear that the National Development Planning
Agency (Bappenas) is considering using this pact during the
reconstruction process in Aceh," he said.

Rooke further said that the meeting had discussed the
establishment of an independent supervisory commission as
proposed by NGOs, in line with making sure that existing
institutions function again effectively.

Meanwhile, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy
chairman Erry Hardjapamekas said the commission would open a
representative office in Banda Aceh to handle graft complaints
and reports

"The KPK will also provide protection for whistleblowers," he
said.

Concerning the implementation of the integrity pact for
procurements, Erry said that KPK would complement it with
arequirement for government officials in the affected areas to
routinely declare their assets.

The meeting's recommendations will be used to formulate a
international-level disaster relief management system.