LTA launches anti corruption advocacy campaign

LTA hosted a press gathering on June 12th on the occasion of the launch of its “Time to Wake Up” campaign.

During the event, president of the LTA, Gerard Zovighian, said:
Since its foundation in 1999 LTA has been at the forefront of the fight against corruption in Lebanon and our researches, publications and recommendations are considered as references in this domain. Among these, one can quote: “Towards a National Anti- Corruption Strategy” and the 2011 “National Integrity System” report. The former concludes that the absence of good governance is closely linked to the system of sharing of powers and positions in the Public administration between religious sects. And the former covers the 17 institutions and sectors which form the pillars of the country’s political system beginning with the executive legislative and judiciary powers. It recommends reforms specific to each ‘pillar’ and of an overall cope among which: the ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the creation of a national organism of fight against corruption, the issuing of a law concerning the access to information and whistle blower protection and the reform of the electoral law.

However in the absence of political will and of an independent judiciary system, the recommendations of the association and other concerned actors, including the Association of Arab Parliamentarians against Corruption (ARPAC) have unfortunately remained without effect. Political authorities continue to ignore the calls of the civil society in favor of a better governance of the public sector. And political and administrative corruption is as widespread as ever. Nepotism, cronyism, embezzlement of public funds, briberies, vote buying, hardly a week passes without our politicians have the impudence of throwing at each other’s accusations that could apply to themselves in the first place. And it is the citizen who pays the price as witnessed by the recent multiplication of scandals reported in the media. Such as the resignation of a member of the Supreme Council of the judicial authorities, the discovery of enormous quantities of out of date spoiled food products on the market, the repetition of suspect affairs concerning the ministry of energy and the illicit constructions on the public domain, without mentioning the absence of transparency concerning the Public budget.