Introduction
The Netherlands and New Zealand have scored highly in the transparency international rating. These high levels of integrity that the two countries have acquired can be reflected in various sectors of the economy. The living standard of the people and the general perception of the public as far as integrity issues are concerned also talk’s volume in support of the high index score. On the other hand, Kenya an East African country, and Cambodia have been ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world.
The same effect is trickled down to the lifestyle that the people of the two countries have. According to the 2009 corruption index (C.P.I. 2009) out of the possible mark of ten, New Zealand topped the 160 listed countries with a score of 9.4, Netherlands was 6th with a score of 8.9, Kenya was 146th with a score of 2.2 and Cambodia was 158th with a score of 2.0. The difference in the levels of corruption in these countries is a result of different parameters and at the same time, the effects are diverse.
The economic, social, political, and physical environments have been affected in different ways. This paper takes a comparison of the four countries; it will evaluate the effect that corruption/integrity has on the four countries; it will look into the trends of corruption and the force behind the unending corruption. Finally, it will give suggestions on what should be done to reduce the level of corruption in the two mentioned countries.
Trends of Corruption
The corruption in Kenya is a neo-patrimonial of the previous regime, starting with President Kenyatta’s government that has been the custodians of corruption in the country. The regime used to “reward” those people who were likely to threaten the running of the government. They were rewarded by large pieces of land for their loyalty to the ruling class. The second regime, led by President Daniel Moi was not any different and it followed the same footsteps of the past one.
The corruption at this regime became like part and parcel of the people and it could be talked openly by people under different headings like chai or kitu kidogo, which meant give me my potion. In 2007, there was a change of Government to president Kibaki’s government. Things seemed to take a high note to the best, the levels of corruption reduced, momentarily but it only took a year, and the same trends like the previous regime took charge. Today, the country does not have any signs of remedy. In 2005 it scored 2.1, in 2007 2.1 and 2009 2.2 the score is still very low.
In Cambodia, the rate of corruption is increasing by day it scored as follows 2.3 in 2005, 2.0 in 2007, and 2.0 in 2009. The country is getting worse. In the Netherlands and New Zealand, the constitutions of the two countries recognize that corruption is illegal and punishable by law. Even New Zealand has been leading since 2005; the rate of corruption is slowly increasing with indexes of 9.6 in 2005, 9.4 in 2007, and 9.4 in 2009. The Netherlands is seen to be sharpening its integrity levels and in the period 2005 it had 8.6, 2007 it scored 9.0 and in 2009 it scored 8.9 (Transparency international 26 April 2010).
The Effects of Corruption
To evaluate the effect of corruption, I am going to analyze and compare the four nations under the headlines of social effects and economic effects
Economic effects
Corruption has affected Kenya and Cambodia more similarly in the economic section. The rate at which the infrastructures are growing is wanting, the amount that is kept aside in the government budget for the development of infrastructure ends up in the pockets of a few individuals. This is at the expense of the country. The other way that the two countries make their infrastructure is through grants and donor funding, the donor confidence has been eroded and funding has been reduced. The infrastructure is the backbone of economic growth, with the small rate the country cannot develop.
The low rate of economic growth has led to high levels of poverty in the two countries. The population is suffering from a lack of social amenities. Foreign direct investments are highly discouraged and thus the unemployment rate of the country has increased rapidly. In the government institutions, the service offered there is of low quality especially when the service recipient has not given some bribes. This has discouraged those people that are honest from getting services from the institutions and the economy suffers.
In New Zealand and the Netherlands, the infrastructures are developed and are continued to be maintained. This is because the money that has been set aside for the development has been well utilized for the purpose they are intended to. This improved infrastructure has made these countries an investment destination, mostly in the service sector. The living standards are good
Social effects
In the more corrupt countries, in our case Kenya and Cambodia, corruption has a direct and indirect negative effect on the social life of the individuals. The illest that it has made is to brainwash the minds of the citizens making them believe that corruption is a necessary evil in society. This has been reinforced by the “reward” that the corrupt are seen to acquire in society. In the two countries, a large number of successful politicians are the people that have a corruption history.
They do their corrupt deals and make their way to the parliament. This is seen as an achievement in life and thus convincing a normal citizen that corruption is evil won’t yield many positive results. The culture of corruption has taken precedence in the two countries and thus even reducing the corruption has become even more of a problem. Due to the reduced rate of economic growth, there are huge inequalities in the distribution of resources, there are the extremely rich people in these countries and those who live from hand to mouth.
The level of poverty has increased so much that dying out of hunger is common in the countries. The low employment rate has made people who are well learned to look for alternative means to survive. The alternatives that are taking the course are social evils. There is increased insecurity in the countries; the rate then is working to the bad of the country since no investor either local or foreign can feel secure enough to invest in the country. The trends continue. The living standards of the people in the two countries have been deteriorating by the day. Immorality and decay of morals also are affected by the perception that corruption rewards are continually reinforced. This leads to ever-increasing poverty.
In those countries that are doing well in the integrity score, in this case, New Zealand and the Netherlands, the living standards of the citizens are on the rise. The social amenities are well maintained and of high quality. They are also affordable to the entire population. Because of the well-structured rules and administrative measures put by the two governments, it has psychologically been taken by the citizens of the countries that corruption is not good.
There is a general acceptance that corruption is evil. Those people that are caught with corruption cases are dealt with according to the constitution. This has a deterrent element in the minds of the citizens (Cloud, 2006). The countries have acquired international respect and are seen as role models of the world. The rate of employment is almost 100% and thus the rates of social evils are highly reduced.
Why Corruption Is an Ever Recurring Phenomenon
In the two countries (Kenya and Cambodia), the general public seems to accept corruption and regard it as legitimate. This is reinforced by the operating system that seems to reward the offenders. On the other hand, there is no punishment system in the two countries. The judiciary is an element of control by the government. The police who are supposed to be the custodians of law and the ones that are supposed to be fighting the vice is the most corrupt. In the past two years in both countries, the police have been the top in the most corrupt list (Harris, 2003).
Both the countries have institutions that are mandated to investigate and recommend for prosecution, however, the systems are influenced by the political class of the countries. They are rendered worthless. The kinds of people that are deployed to lead and act in the commissions are appointed to protect a few at the expense of the entire country. This has led to the creation of untouchables in the systems that can do corruption deals without fear (Harris, 2003). The few employed people are paid amounts that can hardly satisfy their daily needs, and as a way to reduce the deficit, corruption is the easy answer. There is no independence of the judiciary.
In the Netherlands and New Zealand, the two countries have well-structured whistle-blowing mechanisms that each citizen can access and report to the higher authorities. When those people are reported, it follows that the law takes course without favor. There are independent institutions that are mandated to investigate any corruption in the operation of the government and public institutions. The public perception also works to the benefit of the country since the population accepts that corruption is a crime punishable by law (Killinger, 2007). The judiciary is independent.
What are the Remedies to Corruption?
The countries should have a clear line between the politics and the institutions that are aimed at enforcing the laws against corruption. This will start with proper vetting of the concerned officers to head and operate the institutions. As much as these institutions are there, there has been no major procession of corruption offenders, but in most cases, they are rewarded by the systems. The governments of these countries should act sober enough and forget about their self-interests and keep the country first. On the other hand, the powers of the watchdog institutions should be well stipulated.
Another major cause that the corrupt have quoted, especially “common” citizens is low remunerations. The country’s governments should be realistic enough on the kind of salary that its citizens are paid either by them or in the private sector. Remunerations can come in different ways that include improving the social amenities in the countries so that they are effective and affordable (Transparency international, 2007).
The international economies also have a stake to play. The developing countries are at the mercy of developed countries for loans, grants, and donations to undertake their developmental projects, these countries should not completely withdraw but should channel their grants in the countries using other efficient routes, a good example happened in Kenya when the British education grant was channeled into the country through the nongovernmental institutions. It assisted the people. The grants are capable of improving the living standard of the people. When the infrastructures are well developed the countries will be able to attract more investment and the net effect will be reduced corruption.
The area that is the hardest to handle is changing the perception that the people hold and reversing the culture of corruption. Campaigns of awareness that will tackle the effects of corruption should be enhanced (Stapenhurst and Kpundeh, 1999). This can yield results like the case of Kenya in 2003 when there was a cry to stop corruption.
The Position of Singapore
Singapore is rated number three with an index of 9.2. The country is doing well but it is important to note that there is room for improvement. There are current government campaigns to Zero tolerance to corruption and this has seen the country rating reduce gradually since 2005, the scores were as follows 2005 it scored 8.6, 2007 it scored 9.0 and in 2009 it scored 9.2. As the saying goes, it’s easy to get to the top than remaining there; the country should not rest in the campaigns against corruption.
According to a report by the government as a press release, the number of cases that have been prosecuted with corruption cases in 2009, stood at 150 cases lower from 207 reported in 2008 and 250 reported in 2007. Unlike the corrupt nations, in our case Kenya and Cambodia, there are active laws that govern the case of corruption (Worldstream 2010). The law just like in Netherland and New Zealand, the country has expressly in the constitution declared that corruption is evil and punishable by law. An interesting thing that happens in Singapore is that corrupt individuals or institutions are exposed in the public media.
This acts as a deterrent measure to potential offenders and bars the ones caught in the act from repeating the same. The offender when arrested is supposed to leave any public office immediately to assist in the investigation. This is contrary to Kenya and Cambodia, whereby a person is investigated when in the office. A recent case that is taking place is an investigation about a faulty deal that Nairobi city council had engaged in to buy an imaginary cemetery land, though the investigations are taking place, the people concerned are in the office. This includes the signatory of the deal, the Nairobi mayor.
Credit goes to the New Zealand, Singapore, and Netherlands’ citizens because unlike Kenya and Cambodia, public office contesters are well vetted by the people. This assists the government to enforce the rule that deters any person who had been involved in corruption dealing to hold a public office. The culture of the citizen is another place that they are scoring high in that right from childhood, a child is socialized that corruption is evil. This has assisted in developing a haven of corruption in the country.
Recommendations
Kenya and Cambodia have a long way to go in the fight against corruption. The fight must start with the people of the right character and vision for the country’s leading the way. Interestingly, corruption portrays all the characteristics of culture, and as culture can be transmitted in the society for long so do corruption. The long-run remedy rests on the peoples of the countries to develop a culture of integrity and transmit it to generations in the future.
In the short run, the government should strengthen institutions that are mandated to spearhead the fight against corruption. It is upon all of us to join hands and fight against the vice. Let the process start with you and me, and together we can make the world a better and worth place to live in. The corrupt countries have some role models they can copy and eliminate the vice. The high integrity countries should not rest and assume that everything is okay but should keep developing strategies to ensure continuity as well as improvement of their integrity.
Conclusion
Corruption is an evil that has numerous negative effects on the economy of the country. In Kenya and Cambodia, the vice can be traced from the previous political regime. The trends are still recurring and the corruption culture seems to be reinforcing itself by day. The countries still rag behind in the fight against the vice; the problem is getting worse. The low economic growth rate and poor living standards are the resultant of high corruption rates in these countries. Fruits of integrity are overwhelming; they lead to improved economic growth and the social status of people. This is portrayed by the situations in Singapore, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.
Reference List
Cloud, H. (2006). Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality. Collins Publisher.
Harris, G. (2003). Corruption: How to Deal with Its Impact on Business and Society. California: The Americas Group.
Killinger, B. (2007). Integrity: doing the right thing for the right reason. Canada: McGill-Queen’s Press – MQUP.
Stapenhurst, R. and Kpundeh (1999). Curbing corruption: toward a model for building national integrity. World Bank Publications.
Transparency international (2007). Global Corruption Report 2007: Corruption in Judicial Systems. New York: Transparency international.
Transparency international (2010). Corruption Perceptions Index 2009. Web.
Worldstream (2010). Report: Corruption cases in Singapore decline despite tougher economic times. Web.