Richard fights corruption with Christian message
Former police sergeant Richard Wiggins has been to countries most people would think twice about visiting.
He has taught leadership skills with Christian ethics in dangerous nations around the world.
The congregation member at St Ninian’s Church in Prestwick has delivered the seminars in many countries including Bolivia, Chad, Tonga, Samoa, Liberia and Russia.
His stints abroad were not without risk. He even contracted a form of malaria while visiting Liberia in Africa.
And once in Bolivia dynamite explodes outside his hotel.
It is part of his volunteer work at the Pointman Leadership Ins t i t u t e ( P L I ) , w h i c h provides anti- corruption and ethical leadership seminars in more than 70 countries. He recently returned from Malawi and gave the anti- corruption seminar to South African Government departments in April.
In Liberia the extensive work from Richard and the team saw the country jump up 79 places in the transparency league table.
Richard said: “It is awesome to think we may have helped change a country. I really enjoy volunteering with Pointman. “I have been in the Congo four times. I enjoy going to Africa but when you leave Africa it never leaves you.
“Everyone is so keen to learn. The children hang on every word.”
Richard has been in front of the attorney general in the Congo, members of the High Court in Chad and many other influential leaders.
Giving tips on influencing staff, he said: “A leader has to be there to take control when things go wrong.
“He or she can’t run about like a headless chicken.
“They must be calm and have self- discipline.
“What really matters is to be a person of character. Character is what you do when no one else is looking.”
The PLI sessions, which are secular but based on Christian values, are also delivered to businesses.
PLI was started in 1994 by Robert Vernon following a request from the Czech Government to retrain their police after the Velvet Revolution.
Police Scotland, youth v o l u nt e e r s a n d f o rc e s, educationalists and churches have benefited from the training in the UK.
He has been a PLI member for 20 years.
Richard said: “It is about putting into practice what we hear on a Sunday.
“It is applied Christianity that applies to everyone. The laws of this country stem from the Bible.”