Fight,corruption, judge tells church

FROM the pulpit of the Susamachar Presbyterian Church, Justice Frank Seepersad called on the nation to make one more New Year’s resolution, to fight corruption. He said this must be done with the sword of the spirit.

To fight corruption, he said, peoples must first acknowledge they are an integral part of the problem, giving as examples citizens who circumvented the long lines at inspection centres or at immigration offices, opting instead to pay bribes for an inspection sticker or to fast-track their passports.

“Far too often we complain about the untenable state of affairs which confronts us. but yet we are unwilling to call a spade a spade or to reject corruption in its many manifestations. We are too blessed in this beautiful republic to allow corruption to ruin us.”

Quoting scriptures from the Book of Acts, he referred to the suffering of the Apostle Paul under corrupt officials and his long imprisonment because he refused to pay a bribe for his release. He said Paul’s stance stood in stark contract with the morals of our time.

“As a society we are all too familiar with the fact that billions have been spent, yet our society lacks basic amenities or meaningful jobs. Our leaders have persistently alluded to the impact that constant corruption has inflicted upon the economy, but notwithstanding all the talk, no one has been charged and wrongdoers have not been made to account.”

Pointing to the Procurement Act which is yet to be operationalised, the judge asked, “Are we serious about curbing corruption? As a people it appears that many of us have become desensitised to the issue of corruption and almost accept it as a part of life in sweet Trinbago.

“We are always quick to blame others, but we need to acknowledge that we have enabled and facilitated the corruption which now defines us. We have paid the bribes, tendered for contracts factoring kickback sums, used power and influence to circumvent process and procedure and we have refused to hold our leaders accountable because the status quo suits our insular and self-centred concerns.

"If we are to embark on the path of progress, our approach to corruption has to change.”

The lay preacher told the congregation the first step in curbing corruption is to recognise it is evil and destructive and benefits the unscrupulous to the detriment of the vulnerable.

“It undermines good governance, harms economic efficiency, development, distorts trade and penalises honest citizens. As children of God we are not born corrupt. Such a path is pursued by individual choice. But our God encourages us to leave our wicked ways and to change our way of thinking.

Romans 13, verses 4 and 5, indicates to us that the fight against corruption is a moral one and the seeds of virtue and integrity have to be sown in people's hearts. This has to be achieved by what the Apostle Paul described as the sword of the spirit. God's word must guide our lives us and we must take heed of God's directive which says we must take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”