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Remarks of Douglas Gardner
UN Resident Coordinator (delivered on behalf of development partners)
at GDCC Meeting on June 14, 2006
H.E. Keat Chhon
Senior Minister of Economy
and Finance and First Vice Chairman of CDC
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of your development partners, I
wish to share the following comments on the national response to the issue
of corruption. Having provided input at earlier GDCC’s and CG’s, today we
address this topic through four appreciative inquiries to understand
better the status of developments.:
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Could an update on the
draft law’s status and the probability of its submission (as per the JMI)
to the National Assembly for debate and enactment be provided? Due to
the importance of this issue, we would encourage that this law be
advanced to meet the agreed JMI time frame and “international best
practices” as mentioned in the NSDP (2006-20 10).
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Could the status and your
views be advised on the inclusion in the draft law of four points
considered critical to the success of the law during its implementation:
ie: the Independence of the Anti-Corruption Body, the Powers
of the Investigative authority, Asset Declaration, and Criminal
Offences?
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Earlier versions of the
draft law had provisions related to private sector corruption. These
provisions were absent from the draft as of 17 March, 2006 -- but
may have been reinstated in a later version. Could the thinking on this
issue of private sector corruption and its status in the present draft
law be clarified?
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Could you advise the
government officials and institutions with whom we should be working on
the draft law? There were some recent changes and we would be grateful
for your advise on this.
In conclusion, The Prime Minister has spoken
out regularly on the issue of fighting corruption including his most
recent remarks at the inauguration of the MONSARI building on May 29,
2006. Many of your development partners were there. His comments were
clear and encouraging. Building on that speech and other key policy
directives on corruption. including the Rectangular Strategy and the NSDP,
our hope is that through the implementation of an effective law on
corruption, Cambodia can register significant gains in such diverse areas
as: poverty reduction; increased investments and related jobs for young
people; increased Government revenues to pay teachers and health workers;
increased integrity on land issues; and more on a long list.
We not only encourage this draft law to be
passed but also stand ready to help in its implementation if the
Government should so wish. Thank you. |
