Why is corruption blind?

Why do people who hold a high post think they own that post, and then because they feel it is theirs then the money is also theirs??
I fail to reason why this is allowed to continue…
For too long now the politicians have bled this country dry and the only reason we have so much instability is because they keep wanting a piece of the pie.

Not only is it the politician with their hands in the pot, also we need to cast scrutiny over the public servants who are also feeling like the pot is a co-operative and they like their “Masters” can also have access to the pot. This is justified with the reasoning that if they all have their hand inside then no-one will get caught.

A classic example of this was a road from the airport in Santo to join up with the tar-sealed road near Suranda.
The donation was a mere $5 million Australian Dollars or 500,000,000vt. This was a funding from AusAID out of Port Vila.
The works were given too Public Works Department to oversee and then sub contracted out to several of the local earthworks companies in Santo.
The road was developed with coral up to the turn off to the old fishing factory at Palekula Bay just before Tebrouma.
No bitumen was laid, the sub contractors were not paid in full and the money disappeared. Who is to blame?
I suggest we all are because we keep silent about it and they keep doing it. That my friends is a lot of money to lose in the space of 3 months with nothing to show for it. Sure, I can hear them crying, it wasn’t me why blame me our department is clean.
Well of course you are all clean that is why there is no money left... In the movies they call that Laundering.
The time has come surely when we all say enough now and start to really try and encourage honesty and stop the lies that are infiltrating society in particular the political and public service, they are actually starting to believe their own stories they are feeding the public to justify their existence.
I read with interest the calling of the dismissal of the Director of Quarantine, the Director General of AQFF, and the dismissal of the senior executive officer of Quarantine. They have lost some 3,501,089vt which is simply not accountable. This was from the Auditor’s office and was carried in the Daily Post issue No 3600.

When you hold a post be it public or private, you are accountable for everything within your control. At no time are you not accountable. If money goes missing in your department be it government or private sector, regardless who has taken it the responsibility and accountability rests with you.
The same goes for our politicians, your departments are only ever going to be as good as you lead them. If for whatever reason they see that life is a breeze and they can take from the system as they please then there is little else anyone can do.
The department of lands is another example... trying to convince people to do their job… as in get them to do what they are paid for without a kick back of some sort is nigh on impossible. This has got to change we need to get the balance back so that the country can grow, leases need to be processed and endorsed as a priority, no back log is required in this field as it is all pay as you go quite literally at the moment… which means more staff will be funded thru an improved efficiency
The current situation is like a toddler being on training wheels and his big brother undoing the nuts on the trainers and putting sand in the bearings… eventually the bearing will seize, the trainers will fall off and the bike will fall over. End result pain and suffering.
Last week I took you through what our fundamental rights are as both citizens and residents of this country. The key to that was to highlight what the people in public office and in the public service are supposed to do for us. They are there because the citizens of Vanuatu put them there. They are not special, the post and the high office they hold is special, they, however are not.
What give us the right to take what is not ours? Why can they just not leave it where it is so that it can be used to develop the country not their own lives.
Why do we want to keep people dumbed down so that they may never experience anything better or aspire to that so they do not know what they can achieve?

When did it become within the law to change for pure political and personal financial gain a government agency or statutory authority, be it in partnership as is NISCOL with the government as a shareholder or an airline or postal service, VNPF- the list goes on. Surely they must justify their reasons for political interference to the very people whom put them there with their respective votes?

NISCOL is a burning example, what we saw there was a classic takeover by one from another then back again to a third party, (real smoke and mirrors stuff this was), everyone and I mean everyone wanting to take something and no one wishing to give anything back. The country needs development and we need it now. We do not care how big your house is or how flash your car is or even how many times you travel overseas inflating your egos. None of this makes you a better person or Vanuatu a better place. What will make it a better place is if you all stop at home and look after Vanuatu and her people and make it a better place to do trade and create more self employment in the outer regions with ease of access to markets, better roads and regional wharf and dock facilities in remote areas this is what this country needs not another 52 individuals vying for political domination to be at the top of the pile to gain greater access to the POT.

Forget the POT it is not yours, do what you promised to do and look after the people that put you there and respect your post that you get from this blind trust that is given to you with vote of the people of Vanuatu a sovereign state.

>>The ideas and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and are not necessarily those of the Vanuatu Daily