Integrity a must

NEMANI DELAIBATIKI

Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum

gets the support of everyone when he tells Legal Aid lawyers to treat people with respect irrespective of their status or background.

That advice applies to all public officers. He says that many times he has seen that people who may not speak English well, travel by bus, not well connected and poor are not treated well.

“Please do not do that,” he pleads with them.

He is absolutely right. Public officers have a constitutional and moral responsibility to treat everyone equally whether they are rich or poor.

Those who discriminate people on the basis of ethnicity, gender, religion, socio-economic status or political beliefs are not fit to serve in the public service.

Public service is self explanatory. Those who are employed and paid by taxpayers’ money are there to serve.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum also spoke of the importance of integrity. No public servant must perform a duty in return for a favour or accept bribes.

Accepting bribes or favours is corruption which the Government has been trying to weed out.

Corruption has a negative impact on development. It stifles growth by preventing the flow of development assistance to those who need it.

Maintaining integrity in public service is an essential component of good governance. Integrity includes how public servants treat people and strictly observe their code of ethics.

NEMANI DELAIBATIKI