Deosaran: TT people too greedy

TT may never be a society that is free of corruption. Former police service commission chairman Professor Ramesh Deosaran expressed this opinion at a function hosted by the TT Transparency Institute (TTTI) at the University of the West Indies' St Augustine Campus on Friday night.

Deosaran said one of the reasons for that was because there were "a lot of greedy people" in TT. According to Deosaran, greed provides the leverage for corruption. He said there are people in society who want more than what they have but do not want to do it the honest way.

Deosaran also opined that corruption flourished in countries like TT because they were democracies. He said the Constitution was silent on the duties and responsibilities which came with the rights and freedoms it granted to people. He said it was "between these spaces that criminals operate."

He said adults in TT had been disappointing in dealing with corruption and efforts must be made through the education system to ensure that young people learnt the values that would promote integrity in society.

"Integrity does not drop from the sky. As the twig is bent, so will the tree go," he said.

Deosaran was heartened by the example set by 14-year-old Leon Reyes who in May, returned a wallet containing a sum of money to its owner. TTTI chairman Dion Abdool agreed with Deosaran that Reyes was taught the right values by his family and showed there was " lot of hope" that other young people would follow Reyes' example.

Deosaran also said shame played an important part in curbing corruption.

"We have to continue to fight and keep it down," he said.