PM Declares ‘Intolerance’ Of Corruption, Abuse Of Power

Source: Vientiane Times

Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith told the National Assembly (NA) yesterday the government will take earnest action in striving for good governance by addressing corruption, abuse of power and bureaucratic issues.

The premier described corruption, abuse of power and bureaucratic issues as the root cause hindering good governance.

The PM responded to questions raised by members of the parliament at the ongoing 4th ordinary session of the NA’s legislature in Vientiane.

Members of the parliament inquired on the government’s measures to improve governance and offer public services in a just, quick and transparent manner.

The PM said the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party has attached great importance to achieving good governance, which has been one of the four breakthrough approaches of the resolution of the Party’s previous 9th Congress.

The Party’s current 10th Congress resolved to continue to carry out work striving for good governance.

“The current government has attached great importance to improving and streamlining state organisational structure,” he said.

Responsibilities and authorities have been delegated to central and local state organisations. The state authorities are mandated to improve and streamline their administration and train their personnel to provide sincere public service.

However, numerous issues remained, which suggested that the organisational structure of many organisations and relevant procedures had not been streamlined, PM Thongloun said.

Many civil servants in organisations lack responsibility, have bureaucratic attitudes, and are involved in abuse of power and corruption for personal gain, he added.

“Organisational structures in many state organisations have not yet overcome this cycle, resulting in slow, ineffective and inefficient governance,” he said.

The State and Party leaders have been aware of the issue, thus directions have been formulated to gradually address it.

Although resolving the issue was not an easy task as it had become chronic, the government had enacted numerous pieces of legislation with follow up mechanisms to overcome the issue, the PM said.

“We, in the leadership accorded that wherever and whichever organisation is found involved in such issue, leadership in the organisation must lead the solution,” he said.

In case the issue is beyond the capability of the leadership of an organisation to resolve, higher authorities would step in.

But those organisation leaders who were not willing to resolve the problem when possible would pay the price, the premier warned. PM Thongloun called for members of the NA and members of the provincial People’s Councils to be vigilant about the issue and work with the government to suppress it. “We cannot tolerate the issue to become even more chronic,” the Premier said.

Most importantly, he added, all members of society, party and state organisations must join hands and not allow wrongdoers to continue enjoying misconduct and undermining public administration without being held responsible.