Social accountability approaches / Sri Lanka Right to Information / Singapore sub-contractor bribery

As the pandemic continues: adapting approaches to social accountability (Blog).  “A few months back we asked whether social distancing has to mean that communities demanding accountability are silenced. Because giving and receiving feedback, and convincing people to act, can be easier in person. But the answer was a clear no, and we shared a few examples from around the globe of communities that are continuing to hold duty bearers accountable.”

Isabelle Kermeen/Integrity Action: https://integrityaction.org/what-we-are-learning/blog/as-the-pandemic-continues-adapting-approaches-to-social-accountability/

 

Watching over citizens’ right to information (Blog).  “In the past few weeks, the Government of Sri Lanka has proposed an amendment to the existing Constitution that seeks to overhaul several key provisions, including Articles regarding the appointment of independent commissions…Losing the [Right To Information] Commission can have a chilling effect on its use and effectiveness and those who suffer as a consequence would be citizens who have just begun in the last three years to truly exercise their democratic right to know,”

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/watching-over-citizens-right-to-information  

 

Chevron's health and safety specialist admits taking $6,000 bribes to be lenient to sub-contractor.  “[Cheow Hock Mun, a] health, environment and safety specialist with Chevron Singapore accepted $6,000 in bribes from a sub-contractor…"Lim [the briber] was aware that Cheow was the overall in charge of safety at the lube oil Blending Plant, and that he had the authority to make things difficult by not approving the permits for his workers or by finding faults with them in safety aspects," said [Deputy Public Prosecutor] Hu, adding that this would eventually cause delays and financial losses for Lim's company.”

Cara Wong/The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/chevrons-health-and-safety-specialist-admits-taking-6000-bribes-to-be-lenient