DATE=12/24/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42234
TITLE=CORRUPTION / CARTER CENTER
BYLINE=GEORGE MEEK
DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE U-S BASED "CARTER CENTER", HEADED BY FORMER PRESIDENT
JIMMY CARTER, IS BRANCHING OUT FROM ITS INTERNATIONAL
ELECTION-MONITORING TO A NEW ACTIVITY -- HELPING GOVERNMENTS
FIGHT CORRUPTION. CORRESPONDENT GEORGE MEEK IN RIO DE JANEIRO
REPORTS THE PROJECT IS INITIALLY FOCUSING ON LATIN AMERICA.
TEXT: THE CARTER CENTER SAYS FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS ARE
BECOMING ROUTINE IN LATIN AMERICA, BUT MANY GOVERNMENTS IN THE
REGION ARE UNDERMINED BY CORRUPTION.
THE BERLIN-BASED MONITORING GROUP CALLED "TRANSPARENCY
INTERNATIONAL", WHICH MAKES AN ANNUAL RANKING OF CORRUPTION AS
PERCEIVED BY BUSINESS, RATED 85 COUNTRIES THIS YEAR. IT PLACED
FIVE LATIN AMERICAN NATIONS AMONG THE NINE MOST CORRUPT IN THE
WORLD.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE CARTER CENTER'S LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN
PROGRAM, JENNIFER MCCOY, SAYS THE CENTER'S ANTI-CORRUPTION
PROJECT IS WORKING INITIALLY WITH ECUADOR AND COSTA RICA AT THE
REQUEST OF THOSE GOVERNMENTS.
! // FIRST MCCOY ACT //
WE DECIDED TO FOCUS ON TRANSPARENCY AS A MEANS TO
ENHANCE GROWTH AND INVESTMENT IN LATIN AMERICA,
STRENGTHEN THE CONFIDENCE OF THE PUBLIC IN THEIR OWN
INSTITUTIONS, AND TO MAKE LATIN AMERICA A MODEL FOR THE
REST OF THE WORLD, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT AN
ISSUE THAT IS EXCLUSIVE TO LATIN AMERICA; IT IS GLOBAL.
// END ACT //
MS. MCCOY SAYS THE CARTER CENTER IS HELPING THE COUNTRIES
DIAGNOSE THEIR WEAKNESSES TO DEVELOP A LONG-TERM ANTI-CORRUPTION
STRATEGY, FOR WHICH THEY WILL SEEK INTERNATIONAL FUNDING. IN THE
SHORT-TERM, THE CENTER WILL WORK WITH EXISTING AGENCIES, SUCH AS
ECUADOR'S CIVIC COMMISSION FOR THE CONTROL OF CORRUPTION.
// SECOND MCCOY ACT //
THIS IS AN ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION THAT IS DRAWN FROM
CIVIL SOCIETY AND WILL BE INDEPENDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT.
IT WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE SPECIFIC CASES
AND REFER THEM TO THE COURTS. THEY HAVE ASKED US TO
WORK WITH THEM AS STRATEGIC PARTNERS TO DEVELOP THEIR
STRATEGIC PLAN AND TO SOLIDIFY THEIR INSTITUTIONAL BASE.
// END ACT //
MS. MCCOY SAYS ONE TOOL TO COMBAT CORRUPTION IS LIFTING THE VEIL
OF SECRECY SURROUNDING MUCH GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND AWARDING OF
CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS.
// THIRD MCCOY ACT ///
IN SEVERAL OF THE COUNTRIES THEY HAVE EXPRESSED AN
INTEREST IN DEVISING METHODS TO MONITOR PRIVATIZATION
AND PUBLIC CONTRACTING PROCESSES TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY
IN THOSE, AND TO HELP TO RAISE CONFIDENCE IN THESE TYPES
OF TRANSACTIONS. WITH THE HELP OF TRANSPARENCY,
INTERNATIONAL AND OTHER EXPERTS WE WILL BE DEVELOPING
METHODS FOR MONITORING THEM.
// END ACT //
THE CARTER CENTER OFFICIAL, WHO IS ALSO A PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL
SCIENCE AT GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SAYS THE CENTER ENCOURAGES
RATIFICATION OF THE ANTI-BRIBERY CONVENTION OF THE "ORGANIZATION
FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT", AND "THE
INTER-AMERICAN ANTI-CORRUPTION CONVENTION". SHE SAYS THESE TWO
INSTRUMENTS WOULD PROVIDE INTERNATIONAL BACKING FOR GOVERNMENTS
THAT ARE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE AGE-OLD PROBLEM.
// REST OPTIONAL //
MS. MCCOY SAYS THE ISSUE WILL BE DISCUSSED AT A MEETING TO BE
HELD IN A FEW MONTHS IN ATLANTA.
// FOURTH MCCOY ACT //
IN MAY OF 1999 WE WILL HOLD A MAJOR CONFERENCE AT THE
CARTER CENTER IN CONJUNCTION WITH C-N-N'S WORLD REPORT,
WHERE C-N-N, BASED IN ATLANTA, BRINGS THEIR OWN
REPORTERS AND TELEVISION EXECUTIVES FROM AROUND THE
WORLD TO DISCUSS A VARIETY OF THEMES. ONE IS THIS ISSUE
OF TRANSPARENCY AND CORRUPTION.
// END ACT //
MS. MCCOY SAYS THE CONFERENCE WILL ENCOURAGE OTHER GOVERNMENTS TO
APPLY THE ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGIES DEVELOPED BY ECUADOR AND
COSTA RICA WITH THE HELP OF THE CARTER CENTER. (SIGNED)
NEB/GM/RAE
24-Dec-98 10:59 AM EST (1559 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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