Corruption and bribes facilitation in the local shipping industry is rampant and urgent steps are needed to stop it, said Chairman Shippers Council Sean Van Dort at the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka organised Seminar on ‘Navigating Global Challenges for Effective Logistics and Shipping Management’ on Tuesday.
He said that surprisingly this was almost zero during the COVID pandemic and this was because there were no face to face transactions being done. “So encouraging going in one line is one way to reduce this. Creating a single window too is a solution.”
However huge mindset change and a technological shift too is needed as some of the officers are still not using computers. “Offering a high, decent salary too would help reduce corruption.”
He said that making a tax file compulsory for high income earners too would create a better check and balance system against corruption. He said that Singapore too faced a huge corruption issue in the shipping sector and to curb these very tough laws were introduced where even families of corrupt officials were penalised.
The event was conducted in order to create awareness among the importers and exporters about logistics and shipping management with the impact of global challenges.
Shirajiv Sirimane